A 45-year-old artist, Balogun Omokhafe, also known as Hakuzion, has completed a four-day walk from Ekpesa in Akoko-Edo to Benin City to demand government action on the dangerous state of the Igarra–Ibillo road and increasing cases of kidnappings in the area. His journey, which began in Ibillo and was briefly interrupted by heavy rainfall that forced him to take a vehicle to Auchi, resumed on foot from there to Benin City, where he made a public appeal to the Edo State government.
Omokhafe described the road as life-threatening and said it had become a haven for criminals. He claimed over 100 people have been abducted along the route, with many others killed. He cited the unresolved case of Okasime Olowojoba, a Labour Party ward chairman in Akoko-Edo, who has been missing for more than four months after being kidnapped in the area.
Addressing reporters upon arrival, Omokhafe said he felt compelled to act because the fear gripping his community outweighed any personal risk he faced. He urged the government to rehabilitate the road, explaining that better infrastructure would deter kidnappers who currently exploit the poor condition of the road to carry out attacks.
He acknowledged the ongoing development efforts by the state governor but stressed the urgent need for intervention in Akoko-Edo. According to him, repairing the road could save lives and restore peace to the troubled region.
