Akoko, Ondo State and the Affliction of Kidnappings.

Ade Olabode

The expiring year 2021 brought along many tragedies for Nigerians. One that stood out most poignantly is the tragedy of insecurity, relentlessly unleashed in such a manner that made the entire country a living hell. In fact, this year may arguably go down as one of the most harrowing and bloody years for citizens.

With only some days remaining to bid goodbye to 2021, it will leave haunting memories that many will not forget in a hurry. Violent killings became a weekly, if not daily, experience. And kidnappings became the most lucrative business of criminals in town.

By and large, kidnappings have since become a national nightmare engulfing every region of the country. In the North, Kaduna State happens to be the hotbed of constant kidnappings, with weekly reports of abductions of both commoners and high-profile persons including traditional rulers, clergymen and politicians. In the Southeast, Imo State currently has the unenviable reputation of being the epicenter of violent kidnappings, mostly targeting traditional rulers, politicians and Catholic priests. And in the Southwest axis, Ondo State seems to be the unlucky favourite hunting ground for audacious kidnappers whose victims for ransom include anybody and everybody. In Ondo State itself, Akoko area is the hot spot!

The incessant spate of kidnappings across the South-West in general, and most particularly in Akoko area of Ondo State, has been a year-long horror, even before and after the launch of the Western Security Network codenamed Amotekun by the South-West governors. Right from March this year till now, it has been kidnappings all the way. As one wonders why Akoko axis of Ondo State became the game reserve of kidnappers, a few instances which were widely reported by the media will confirm how endemic and traumatic the situation has become for our people.

In March, 2021, a Lagos-based pastor, Fredrick Aramuwa, was kidnapped in Ondo State and was later found dead. Mr. Aramuwa was said to have been kidnapped on the Idoani-Ifira Road in Ifira Akoko community in the Akoko South-East Local Government Area of the state. According to reports, the clerics abductors reached out to his family and demanded N10 million ransom. After forth and back negotiations with the victims family, they agreed to take N2 million. Despite the police allegedly assuring that they would rescue the pastor, his family paid the ransom but the cleric was still murdered!

In April this same year, gunmen reportedly kidnapped a family of five from Ajowa Akoko in Akoko North-West Local Government Area of Ondo State. The victims were reportedly accosted on their way to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, on a Sunday. They were said to be going for Easter celebrations when the incident occurred, with the kidnappers later reaching out to the family of the victims and demanding N10 million ransom. Again in May, anxiety seized lkaram Akoko in Akoko North West council area of Ondo state over the abduction of two residents of the community, including an HND graduate, by gunmen along Okeagbe Ikaram highway. In this case, as in previous ones, the abductors reportedly demanded N10 million ransom.

In September, at least eighteen passengers heading to Lagos were also kidnapped in Akoko. The passengers, who were said to be travelling in a Toyota Hiace bus, were abducted along a bad section of Idoani-Ifira Akoko road in the Akoko South-East Local Government Area of the state. The victims were reportedly marched into a forest after their assailants ordered them out of the bus at gunpoint. In the month of October, luck ran out for a suspected kidnapping syndicate at Akunu-Akoko, in Akoko North-East Local Government Area of Ondo State, as a local vigilante and hunters group killed one of the bandits terrorizing the area.

The local vigilantes also rescued seven victims from a forest after they were snatched on their journey to the northern part of the country. Still, the kidnappings persist till now, much to the bewilderment of concerned Akoko stakeholders within and outside.

Now, as the abductions rage on as if the kidnappers are untouchable, some observations have been made. One notable factor that seems to make Akoko axis of Ondo State a centre of attraction for kidnappers is the fact that it is a border community, sharing borders with Edo and Kogi states. The proximity of Akoko to Kogi State especially makes the area vulnerable to the influx of hardened religious fundamentalists and bandits from Kwara and other parts of the North.

And from the narrated experience of a rescued educated Akoko indigene that was recently kidnapped in the Ise-Auga-Iboropa area of Akoko, most of the kidnappers were Fulanis. But they are said to have criminal collaborators and informants from Akoko who have good knowledge of Akoko terrains and help them establish operational bases within Akoko forests.

So, how do we rescue Akoko and our people who have been terrorized and traumatized by rampant kidnappings and killings all year long? It is no easy task in a country where non-state actors seem to be contesting the monopoly of violence with state security agencies. But with all stakeholders joining forces together with serious commitment, we can win the war on kidnappings and other security challenges.

First, the Ondo State government and security agencies in the state should pay more security attention to the Akoko axis by drafting more security personnel to the area for constant surveillance and patrol of the border areas and forests to flush out kidnappers. Second, the Akoko communities must look inwards, identify and expose Akoko traitors who act as informants and collaborators of the alien kidnappers. Some have even recommended that our Obas should set up a virile safety committee in each community that will use legal or spiritual means to identify the treacherous criminals.

Above all, as the spike in kidnappings has also been linked to the poor state of the roads in Akoko, the government is advised to commit resources to roads rehabilitation in the area as a matter of utmost urgency. It is a fact that the kidnappers often take advantage of bad roads to perpetrate their crime.

As innocent citizens travel on bad roads, motorists are forced to slow down to avoid accidents and damage to their vehicles, but that is when the kidnappers strike! Of course, good roads may not be the end of kidnappings in Akoko but they will help to reduce the chances of them happening. The time to rescue Akoko people from the stranglehold of kidnappers is now. All that happened all through 2021 must not be allowed to be the same or worse experience for our people in 2022.
Ade Olabide, Chairman of Media Specialties Group, wrote in from Lagos.