Following worsening insecurity along the Mokwa–Kainji road in Niger State, the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Mokwa Branch, has suspended commercial transport operations along the road with immediate effect.
The suspension was contained in a statement issued by the union, dated Sunday, August 9, due to incessant kidnapping and killing of drivers and passengers along the route.
The union said the suspension would remain in place until the security concerns along the Mokwa–Kainji corridor were addressed.
The statement reads in part: “The operations would remain suspended until concrete measures were put in place to protect motorists and travelers.
“The NURTW is calling on the relevant authorities to take immediate and decisive action to secure the highway and restore the confidence of motorists and passengers who depend on the road for transportation.
Drivers and commuters who have reportedly fallen victim to attacks along the route have recounted experiences of abduction and threats while traveling on the highway.
Kazeem Ba’asalihu Mokwa, a youth advocate, attributed the recurring attacks to limited security presence, difficult terrain, isolated sections of the road and surrounding bushy areas.
He noted that the conditions of the road made it easier for kidnappers and bandits to hide and attack commuters and residents.
Mokwa also alleged that a recent attempt to reopen the route after assurances by security authorities to transport workers of protection was futile.
“They were called upon from the headquarters to open the road with assurance of security presence.
“Immediately they opened the road, the first car that drove to that axis was abducted and seven passengers were kidnapped that same day,” he said.
Mokwa also urged the authorities to establish rapid-response teams, improve intelligence gathering with local communities and transport unions, and investigate allegations of security personnel extorting travellers.
“Government needs to engage NURTW and the affected communities directly and act quickly, because people are losing confidence in the safety of the road,” he said.
He called on relevant authorities to increase security personnel and regular patrols along the Mokwa–Kainji road.
Veteran journalist and recipient of A.B.C Yola, Reporter of the Year Award (1997), Hassan Umar Shallpella, works with WAP as a Regional Correspondence. He was trained at Institute of Mass Communication and Technology Jos and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Training School Lagos.He was a News desk Editor and a Correspondent at the Punch newspaper and till 2019, was the Deputy Editor ofThe Scope newspaper.
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