Commercial drivers on Tuesday, barricaded the Nsukka-Ugwogo-Nike-Enugu expressway in protest over the rising wave of kidnapping operations on the said road.
The protesters, who were carrying placards with different inscriptions, called on the state government to immediately intervene to arrest the situation.
One of the protesters who pleaded for anonymity said, “Government should urgently intervene on this road. We cannot continue plying this road in fear. Men, women and children are in the bush and the government is not doing anything about it.
“Criminals are increasing on this road and security operatives are reducing. The attention of the government is highly needed. It is either the government intervenes or nobody will ply this road again.”
On Thursday last week, hoodlums allegedly attacked commuters on three separate operations along the road. The first attack occurred at noon, the second attack took place at about 2pm, while the third group of commuters were kidnapped at about 5pm.
The last Thursday’s attack made it the third within last week that such kidnapping operations allegedly took place on that route.
Several other commuters were attacked and kidnapped the previous day by the same band of kidnappers, even when there were numerous military and police checkpoints along the road.
Confirming the protest, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor Peter Mbah on New Media, Reuben Onyishi, assured road users of the safety of the road, adding that no new case of kidnapping was recorded on the road.
“The true position was that commercial Siena drivers converged at Opi- Nsukka with placards, protesting the cases of kidnapping that took place on the road last week.
“They were addressed by the DPO of Umabo Police Station, Eha-Alumona Nsukka this morning, explaining to them the security measures that had been put in place and which had successfully cleared the road off kidnappers. Thereafter, they dispersed and went about their businesses.”
He also encouraged residents to disregard the claims by ‘mischief makers’ on assignment to scare commuters that kidnappers were on the road.
“The road is safe as a joint team of the military, police and forest guards patrol the road and the bushes. Let no one be scared. Opi-Ugwuogo Road is safe as the Enugu State Government has adequately contained any form of insecurity on that road,” he said.