Motorists and commuters travelling along the Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway have raised concerns over renewed highway robbery attacks on the road, particularly around the Eke-Obinagu and Idodo areas of Enugu State.

The highway, which connects Enugu and Ebonyi states, is one of the busiest routes in the South-East region.

Findings by our correspondent showed that several travellers have recently fallen victim to armed robbers who reportedly operate mostly at night, forcing many motorists to avoid the route after dusk.

Sources said the latest incident involved the killing of a commercial Sienna bus driver who was reportedly returning from Lagos to Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.

The attackers were said to have intercepted the vehicle at night, dispossessed passengers of their valuables and allegedly killed the driver during the attack.

The development has reportedly led to the return of multiple police checkpoints mounted along the highway between 6pm and 7am.

However, some motorists accused security operatives of focusing more on extorting drivers than tackling the growing insecurity on the road.

Commercial drivers who spoke with our correspondent expressed concern over the renewed attacks, noting that the highway had remained relatively peaceful in recent years after the reduction of security checkpoints following the #EndSARS protests.

One of the drivers, who identified himself simply as Nwaneri, linked the resurgence of highway robbery to worsening economic hardship in the country.

“I can tell you for sure that hunger and economic deprivation in Enugu State are contributing to the return of highway robbery,” he said.

“Since kidnapping is no longer as profitable as before, many criminals have returned to highway robbery. They mostly operate between 7pm and 6am and target vehicles carrying goods.”

According to him, the robbers often monitor commercial vehicles transporting goods from Onitsha to Cross River and other neighbouring states before attacking them.

Some commuters also alleged that criminals sometimes take advantage of the confusion around checkpoints to attack unsuspecting motorists.

Residents of communities along the expressway expressed fears that the growing insecurity could affect commercial activities and the movement of goods between states in the South-East and South-South regions.

The Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway serves as a major economic corridor linking traders and transporters across Enugu, Ebonyi and Cross River states.

Road users called on security agencies to intensify patrols and surveillance along the highway to curb the attacks and restore confidence among travellers.

Efforts to speak with the Enugu State Police Command were unsuccessful as the command’s spokesperson, SP Daniel Ndukwe, neither answered calls nor responded to a text message sent to seek his reaction as of the time of filing this report.

Highway robbery and kidnapping have remained recurring security concerns on several highways across the South-East in recent years, prompting repeated calls for improved patrols and tighter security measures on major interstate roads. (The PUNCH)

Update news