Description

For a while, most highways in Ondo State had turned to havens of criminal activities due to the rampant cases of banditry and kidnappings. With the situation, the highways became nightmares to the residents of the state as well as those on transit through the state which had always served as the choice route for those travelling to and from the northern part of the country.

The effrontery of the criminals which started gradually in the border communities of Akoko axis of Ondo North Senatorial District subsequently moved into many parts of the communities in the senatorial district before it found its way to the Central Senatorial District.


Among residents of the state, the Owo- Akure highway, Ose-Owo highway as well as highways across Akoko axis had become dreaded routes with trips within the trouble highways usually embarked upon with the mindset of any eventualities.

During the period when the state was practically under the siege of activities of gunmen and bandits, most of whom who were suspected to be herdsmen, hardly will a week pass without reported cases of two to four cases of killings and kidnappings on the highways.


Prominent among the killings and kidnapped cases were that of the Olufon of Ifon, Oba Israel Adeusi and the late Mrs Funke Olakunri, the daughter of the leader of the Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti.