The Abuja-Lokoja Expressway, like the Abuja-Kaduna road axis has gradually joined the long list of federal highways in the country where road users are subjected to various forms of molestation including kidnapping and robbery both in the day time and night.
In 2020, the notorious nature of armed groups on the road came into limelight when about 35 passengers in a luxury bus travelling at night were waylaid by bandits and matched into the bush, stripped of their belongings and their phones used to contact relatives for ransom.
It turned out that different groups of armed youths were operating at various sections of the highway and travellers run the risk of being attacked by another group after being released by one.
The robbery and kidnapping incidents have now reduced through the dogged effort of Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, in close collaboration with security agencies, according to the state Commissioner for Solid Minerals and Natural Resources, Alhaji Abubakar Bashir Gurkwu.
Alhaji Abubakar Bashir who spoke in an exclusive interview in Abuja suggested that the Federal Government should adopt Kogi method of dealing with deviants and bandits especially those who operate on the highways to improve security in the country.
The commissioner remarked that the rampant kidnapping of passengers on the Lokoja-Abuja highway has reduced because the administration adopted the village driven security method to monitor the activities of bandits and keep them in check.
He stated that the appreciable reduction of insecurity recently earned the state governor an international award as the “Best Security Conscious Governor in 2020.”
Alhaji Abubakar Bashir urged the Federal Government to involve village heads and every category of leaders in the rural areas in security watch matters apart from training and deploying vigilante members and equipping them to work with security agencies and ensure safety of lives and property.
