Rise in kidnapping cases in Ondo as Military disbands checkpoints

…..Motorists fault Police inaction for rising kidnapping cases in Akure-Owo-Ikare expressway

Following the Nigerian military disbandment of all its security checkpoints across Ondo State, Kakaki Newspot can authoritatively report that Kidnapping and robbery cases has been on the rise.

This is coming on the heel of another reported cases of kidnapping in Oba Akoko where three persons fell victim on Friday, while that of Ogbese and Ilu Abo areas of Akure occured simultaneously on yesterday Saturday.

It could be recalled that four persons were kidnapped by some Fulani gunmen on the Akure-Owo Expressway at Amurin Village in Owo, Owo local government area of the state on Tuesday, 4th of this month.

Among the four victims of the kidnapping was a lecturer at Rufus Giwa Polytechnic Owo, who was however reportedly died in the custody of the abductors, six days after the abduction.

The other three victims were said to be members of staff of the Federal Medical Centre, Owo who were later released after huge ransoms had been collected from their families.

Narrating his ordeal, a lecturer from the department of Mass Communications, Dr. Rahman Abubakri who escaped being kidnapped by Fulani herdsmen at Ilu Abo area of Akure on Saturday said he narrowly escaped, adding that some people including another lecturer from the department of Marketing, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo fell victim.

He said, “Around 5:20 pm this evening( Saturday), I narrowly escaped kidnapping around Iluabo on my way to Akure after a wedding ceremony I attended at Omuo Ekiti.

“Nigerians are under siege. I saw the fulanis shooting sporadically from a distance. The bushes and tick forests we don’t care to go into have been well studied by the Fulanis. Unfortunately, some kids were taken away by the kidnappers.

“Almost the same time, a lecturer of the Department of Marketing, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo was kidnapped by the same Fulani herdsmen between Ipele and Owo Road.

“Another kidnapping took place at Oba Akoko. Three persons fell victim as they were taken away into the Bush. My colleagues missed being kidnapped on Friday evening.

Abubakri who expressed worries over the incidents said the upsurge in kidnapping cases is now worrisome, unless government at different levels wake up to their responsibility, nobody is safe, he lamented.

He explained that the kidnappers use the forests near their operation points as detention camps stressing that children in secondary schools and tertiary institutions far away from their various places of residents are not safe anymore.

However, Our correspondent who went round the major gateways to Ondo State reported that the detachments of soldiers, who were constantly on a 24-hour operation, have been removed.

Not only are the soldiers removed but the sandbags and drums and other barricades used in restricting vehicular movements have been removed.

The dismantling of the military checkpoints, however was said to be having a bad effect on the State security as cases of insecurity ranging from robbery to kidnapping is rising.

Meanwhile roads users and motorists plying the Akure-Owo-Ikare expressway have left the yet to be answered questions of how can kidnappers be terrorizing the roads in that magnitude when police have over 30 stands where they extort and collect N50 naira from motorist.

They asked “where were the N50 collectors whenever these criminal-minded people operate?; that the rate at which kidnappers are operating in Ondo State with impunity without police intervention is embarrassing. It is surprising that the activities of these criminals are flourishing on a daily basis.”