Commuters on some roads in Ekiti State are falling victims of armed robbers on a daily basis. STEPHEN GBADAMOSI examines how the state came to this sorry pass.

On Wednesday, July 14, dare-devil armed robbers, numbering about 18, raided some towns in the state in the early hours of the day and killed one person in the process.

The Arinjale of Ise-Ekiti, Oba Adetunji Ajayi, who narrated the ordeal to journalists, said the hoodlums snatched an 18-seater bus with the driver and killed an unidentified man, who was said to be chasing the robbers from a neighbouring town where they had operated.

He said the robbers flagged down the driver of the bus, pretending that they wanted to hire the bus, but instead forced him into the back seat and escaped with the bus to Ondo State through Ikare-Akoko.

Among the towns reportedly raided by the robbers were Aisegba-Ekiti, Iluomoba-Ekiti and Agbado-Ekiti.

Sources informed Saturday Tribune that the robbers also attacked an old generation bank in Ikare-Akoko, after they had escaped from Ekiti State.

The development caused commercial banks in Ado-Ekiti to close to customers at about 2.00 p.m.

Security was immediately beefed up in the state capital as contingents of policemen mounted check points on strategic roads.

Residents claim that the Ijebu-Jesa- Aramoko-Ado-Ekiti Road had become a regular spot for criminals. A commercial motorcyclist living in Ado-Ekiti, Akin Adeyemi, who claimed to have fallen victim of robbers in Efon Alaaye along the road, said the men of the underworld laid siege to the bus in which he was travelling. He added that though police roadblocks were not far from the area, the robbers disposed all occupants of the bus of their valuables and escaped into the bush.

Also, Tolulope Oyanniyi, a student, narrated an experience in which the vehicle she was travelling in was attacked at the Ijebu-Jesa end of the road, even as a police station was close to the area.

Explaining that they got to the spot where the road led to Efon Alaaye and Oke-Imesi, she said robbers numbering about six barricaded a section of the road, forcing the driver to stop the vehicle. She claimed to have lost her handbag, money and other valuables in the robbery that lasted barely 10 minutes.

Residents of the state, who expressed worry over the latest development, said bad portions on the road, particularly around Aramoko and Igede, were not helping matters.

According to them, vehicles were forced to slow down even when they travelled in the night, a development that made them susceptible to robbery attacks.

They, therefore, appealed to the government to repair the road, while also calling on the police to beef up security along major roads in the state.

A resident of Itawure, around Efon Alaaye area, who did not want his name in print, said it was not clear if it was the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) that was handling the repair of the road or an independent contractor. But he urged the Federal Government to terminate the contract and award it to a more competent contractor.

Meanwhile, the Ekiti state government has introduced an alert system to curb crime in the state. The state governor, Engr. Segun Oni said that the Security Alert System was designed to trigger off simultaneous alarms in major police and security formations in the state when crimes are committed, adding that it would commence operation before the end of the month.

About  30 patrol vehicles have also been procured for the use of securitymen to enable them respond to security alarm and distress calls from members of the public and have already been delivered.

The governor said the security system is being test-run and expected to curb cases of cross-border raids by armed robbers and kidnappers and also guarantee a 24-hour security watch over the entire state.

However, police authorities have blamed the reported increase in armed robberies on the road on the condition of the road, claiming that they were doing everything to make the road safe.

The Ekiti State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Mohammed Jimoh, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), said the command had intensified efforts to put more men on strategic locations on the road.

He appealed to the government to put the road in good shape so as to make it difficult for hoodlums to operate on it.

“The command is not leaving any stone unturned in ensuring adequate security on that road and, of course, all other roads in the state. Drive along the road now, you will see men of the mobile police force in certain locations along the road. That is part of the efforts to make security felt on the road.

Though, it is not true that armed robberies had been on the increase on that road, we will like to appeal to the government to repair the road so as to complement the efforts of our men. We have ensured that more men are drafted to strategic areas on the road,” he said.