Ekiti communities demand military checkpoints amid kidnapping surge
The Joint Security Committee of Ikere, Emure, and Ise/Orun Councils in Ekiti State has urged for the installation of military checkpoints and police posts along two critical interstate roads plagued by kidnapping incidents.
According to The PUNCH, in a statement released in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday, the JSC Chairman, Tunji Falana, appealed to Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji to take action by ensuring the deployment of security personnel along these roads.
Falana expressed grave concern, highlighting that “kidnappers have been accessing Ekiti State and our area through the two roads linking Ekiti and Ondo states—Emure Ekiti-Eporo Road and Emure Ekiti-Supare Akoko Road—perpetrating kidnappings for ransom, killings, and other crimes.”
The urgency of the request follows a series of harrowing kidnapping cases on these roads. On January 29, a group of gunmen abducted nine individuals, including five schoolchildren, three female teachers, and a school bus driver, on the Emure-Eporo Road.
Tragically, the driver was killed, while the rest were released after a ransom was paid. More recently, on August 31, attackers targeted four travelers on the same route, resulting in one fatality and three kidnappings.
Another victim, a young school leaver, was killed, while the remaining two were released following a ransom payment.
The Chairman of Emure Local Government Area, Tosin Adedayo, has strongly advocated for a military checkpoint on the Emure-Eporo Road, arguing that such a presence would act as a deterrent to criminals and significantly enhance road safety.
Falana echoed this sentiment in a statement released in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday, appealing directly to Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji to expedite the establishment of security measures.
“We have made our position clear, which can help curb the kidnappings and criminal activities. We are requesting a military checkpoint along Emure-Eporo Road and a police post along Emure Ekiti-Supare Akoko Road,” he emphasized.
Falana underscored that these roads have become conduits for kidnappers entering the region from neighboring Ondo State. He implored Governor Oyebanji to address the request with immediate urgency to prevent further tragedies.
“We should not wait for another kidnapping incident. Our people—those kidnapped and later released after ransom, those mourning the dead victims, and others—cannot forget the kidnapping of school pupils and the recent incidents along Emure-Eporo Road,” Falana said.
In addition to appealing to the governor, Falana called upon the residents of Ise, Orun, Emure, and Ikere Ekiti to support the JSC’s efforts in bolstering local security. He acknowledged the efforts of House of Representatives member Niyi Ojuawo, praising his quick response to security concerns in the area.
“We thank the House of Representatives member representing this area at the National Assembly, Niyi Ojuawo, for his prompt responses to security matters in this area. We call on other well-meaning people of Ise, Orun, Emure, and Ikere Ekiti communities to follow suit and rise to the occasion,” Falana urged.
He also noted the JSC’s contributions to reducing crime and illegal activities, particularly in the expansive forests surrounding the region.
“The activities of the JSC have, no doubt, contributed to reducing kidnapping and other crimes, including illegal activities in the expansive forests. We need support to sustain operations involving all security agencies and paramilitary organisations in the area,” Falana concluded.
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