Many residents on Tuesday staged a protest that halted movement along the Jobele section of the Ibadan–Oyo Expressway in Afijio Local Government Area, as they demanded urgent action over increasing cases of kidnapping and banditry in the community.
The demonstrators blocked the busy road, leaving commuters stranded and causing heavy traffic congestion. The protest was organised to draw the attention of authorities to the worsening insecurity in the area.
Investigations revealed that the protest was sparked by a recent attack by suspected kidnappers in one of the nearby communities.
According to residents, the attackers attempted to abduct a woman on Monday, but she managed to escape by climbing over a fence. However, she reportedly sustained a deep machete injury on one of her hands during the incident.
One protester explained that the attempted abduction was only the latest in a series of security incidents affecting the community.
He said residents were determined to keep the road blocked until security agencies assured them of improved protection.
Meanwhile, a representative of Ward 8 in Afijio, Dolapo Awotunde, disclosed that the local government had recorded at least seven kidnapping incidents recently.
Awotunde stated that the latest attack occurred between Saturday night and Sunday morning, leaving one victim badly injured.
According to him, the victim was initially taken to a general hospital before being transferred to a medical facility in Ogbomoso for further treatment. Due to the seriousness of the injuries, one of the victim’s hands had to be amputated.
Following the attack, community members organised a local vigilante patrol from Sunday night into Monday morning to safeguard the area.
During the patrol at about 1 a.m. on Monday, residents reportedly apprehended a suspicious individual allegedly carrying a gun, a cutlass, and other dangerous weapons.
The suspect was handed over to officers at the Nigeria Police Force station in Jobele for investigation.
However, Awotunde claimed that residents later discovered that the suspect had been released without any explanation.
He said community members who visited the police station to inquire about the case were surprised to learn that the suspect had already been freed without notifying those who apprehended him.
The development angered residents and students, prompting them to block the Old Oyo–Ibadan Road and the Ibadan–Oyo–Ogbomoso highway while demanding answers from the authorities.
Awotunde urged the Nigeria Police Force, the Oyo State Police Command, and the Oyo State Government to investigate the matter and take urgent steps to address the growing insecurity in Afijio Local Government Area.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Oyo State Command, Olayinka Ayanlade, said the Commissioner of Police had already dispatched senior officers to the area.
According to him, the Area Commander and the Divisional Police Officer were sent to the scene to restore order and reopen the road for normal traffic.
