Kwara Youths Protest Over Kidnappings, Block Highway

Hundreds of youths in Isanlu-Isin, Oke-Onigbin and Edidi communities in Kwara South yesterday blocked Ilorin-Omu-Aran-Kabba highway to protest the incessant kidnappings in their communities.

The youths carrying placards with different inscriptions blocked the highway with bonfires as early as 8:00 a.m, demanding government’s intervention on insecurity in the communities.

Some of the inscriptions on the placards reads: ‘Enough is Enough, ‘Stop Kidnapping our People, ‘We demand government Urgent Intervention, ‘Our people are dying in the hands of kidnappers’, ‘We are tired of paying ransom without results’.

The protest resulted in a gridlock on both sides of the highway  for hours.
Spokesman of the protesters and Odee of lsanlu isin, Chief Michael Ayanda, said the incessant kidnappings had prevented them from going to their farms and embarking on other trading and commercial activities.

According to him, thereby spreading anxiety and hunger among the community members.
The protesters also decried the non-responsive attitude of security agencies and the government to their plight in spite of several appeals through letters and visitations to police formations and the government in Ilorin, the state capital.

Ayanda, who spoke to NAN at Eleyin Village, said the protest was to call the attention of the security agencies and the authority to their plight.

He alleged that in spite of payment of ransoms running into millions of Naira many of the kidnapped victims were yet to regain their freedom.

Ayanda also claimed that the whereabouts of no fewer than seven members of the communities’ vigilant members, who volunteered to comb the forest to effect the release of their people, were still unknown.

“We have paid N30 million for two people earlier kidnapped, but they are yet to release them, they are asking for another money.

“Today we have paid another N10 million for the release of seven kidnapped community members, but they only release one person.

“The purpose of this protest is to let the concerned authorities and the whole world be aware of our plight, especially our government, to assist us to free our people and guarantee security of live and property,” he said.

The chairman of Irepodun local government area, Mr Azeez Yakubu, who addressed the protesters at Eleyin Village near Omu-Aran appealed to the youth for calm and promised to pass their grievances to the authorities.

Also speaking, Mallam Ismaila Ahmed, the Serikin Fulani of Eleyin Village in Isin Local Government Area, said seven of their community members were still with the kidnappers after collection of ransoms.

“Our people have become targets of the kidnappers in the recent times.  No fewer than eleven of our people are yet to regain their freedom and we have paid N20 million to date,” he said.

Efforts to seek the reaction of the Kwara Commissioner of Police, Mr Adekimi Ojo proved futile as he did not pick calls.

However, the chief press secretary to the governor, Mr Rafiu Ajakaiye, pleaded with the youths to exercise patience as the state government was making efforts to curb the problem of insecurity in all parts of the state.