Nigeria: Gunmen Rob Stranded Travellers On Benin-Akure Highway

28 June 2023

Suspected armed robbers have reportedly attacked several travellers stranded on the Benin-Akure highway and the Ipele/Idoani/Isua/Kabba highway both in the Ose council area of Ondo State.

Reports had it that many of the travellers, who were reportedly robbed of their valuables, escaped on motorcycles to cross through the bush paths to escape.

The chairman of Ose council area, Hon Dennis Adekunle, who confirmed the robbery attack, said he had written to the Ondo state government for urgent repair work on the road.

According to Adekunle, "the quarry he approached for help declined because the Federal Road Maintenance Agency might sue it for interference.

The chairman said bandits have robbed many of the stranded travellers on the highway.

Vanguard gathered that the continuous heavy rains have destroyed a section of the Benin-Akure highway at Molege/Elegbeka/Ifon axis and the Ipele/Idoani/Isua/Kabba highway.

Motorists complained that they spent days on the failed portion of the road.

Some motorists who spoke said they spent over five hours from Ifon to Ipele junction, a journey that was supposed to last 45 minutes.

They said the road has totally become impassable for motorists.

It was gathered that five heavy-duty trucks fell at several failed portions.

Chairman of Ose council, Adekunle, said he spent four hours travelling from Idoani to Ipele junction after navigating through bush paths to access the situation.

Adekunle noted that further destruction of the highway would cut off the localities from the rest of the country now that farmers are approaching the period of harvest.

Also, the lawmaker representing Ose Constituency, Hon.Olatunji Oshatti, raised the poor condition of the road and called on the Federal Government to find a lasting solution to it.

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