CITIZENS COMPASS —Hhundreds of youths on Friday, October 13, 2023, blocked the Otukpo/Adoka/Oweto federal highway to protest against kidnappings of their kinsmen on the highway.
The protesters, mostly from Ojali in the Ohimini Local Government Area of the state, trooped to the streets to express their frustration over the activities of kidnappers on the road.
One of them, identified as Edache Ochojila, claimed that 11 commuters were abducted along the road earlier in the week.
He explained that some of the youths went in search of the kidnappers and were able to apprehend one suspect.
However, they were dismayed when the police, who had earlier ignored their distress calls, seized the suspect from them.
Ochojila stated, “About six days ago, they kidnapped about 11 people along the Otukpo-Ojali – Oweto road. We contacted the police, and they said they didn’t have bullets to come.
All efforts to arrest these individuals proved abortive. But this morning, when we went to search the bush, we were able to apprehend one of the suspects.
On our way back, the police intercepted us and took the suspect from us, allowing the others in the bush to escape.”
This incident triggered a protest by youths in the community, causing motorists travelling from the eastern part of the country to Abuja and in the opposite direction to be stranded for hours.
“As I am talking to you now, there is no vehicular movement from both directions as the youths are still blocking the road.
It’s a peaceful protest; we are not harming anybody. Everybody is supporting us and showing solidarity. For over five hours now, no vehicle has passed through our community.”
Meanwhile, Benue State Commissioner of Police, Bartholomew Onyeka, confirmed the protest and the arrest of a suspect.
However, he accused the youths of destroying the police station in the Ojali community because his officers were against the jungle justice they intended to carry out on the arrested suspect.
“They (youths) brought the suspect, and the police are in custody of the suspect and were about to transport him to Makurdi.
However, the villagers wanted to take the suspect to the police to kill him. Is it proper? If you go to the police station there now, you will see that they damaged the police building and the windscreen of the area command.
Our people take the law into their own hands for no reason. Somebody was arrested; why didn’t you people kill him when he was arrested?
Now, when they are with the police, you want to take the suspect from the police and kill him. It’s not the right way of doing things, and that’s what prompted all these incidents.
But the area is very calm now. The police have been able to restore peace,” CP Onyeka said.
The police boss admonished the youths not to take the law into their own hands but to allow the police to investigate, adding that it would afford them the opportunity to apprehend those who ran away.
