Dare devil bandits are said to have taken over the Ilorin–Ogbomoso highway as travellers are daily being abducted and robbed motorists along the busy route that link Kwara and Oyo states.
Residents and commercial drivers who spoke to Newsmen said the highway—an important corridor for trade and passenger movement between the two states—had become increasingly dangerous, especially at night, due to frequent bandit attacks.
Drivers operating from Okolowo Garage in Ilorin said armed men routinely emerge from bushes along poorly lit sections of the road, stopping vehicles at gunpoint to rob passengers and, in some cases, abduct them for ransom.
“Armed gunmen frequently target vehicles along this route,” a commercial driver told Newsmen.
“They stop vehicles, rob passengers and sometimes kidnap them. It has become too dangerous to travel here at night.”
A resident who witnessed one of the attacks over the weekend described the situation as alarming.
“Last Friday, I travelled to Lagos to buy goods and boarded an evening bus back to Ilorin,” he said.
“When we got close to Ogbomoso, we heard gunmen were attacking vehicles ahead of us. We had to park at a filling station and sleep inside the car to avoid being attacked.”
According to him, criminal gangs have become bolder due to the near absence of security patrols along the highway, particularly in the early hours of the morning.
During a visit to Okolowo Garage on Sunday, Newsmen spoke with several drivers who regularly ply the Ilorin–Ogbomoso route. Many said night travel has virtually collapsed.
“No driver dares to use this road between midnight and 5am,” one driver said.
“Most of us now plan our trips to reach Ogbomoso before nightfall.”
Another driver, who has worked on the route for over a decade, said the insecurity has led to losses for transport operators.
“I lost two passengers last month to kidnappers on this road,” he said.
“Since then, I have warned my drivers not to travel after 10pm.”
Drivers also said they now adopt safety measures, including sleeping overnight in Ogbomoso or delaying trips until daylight.
“Some of us stop and sleep in Ogbomoso, even if it delays the journey,” a driver said.
“It’s better to lose time than risk being kidnapped.”
Residents along the Oyo–Kwara border warned that the growing insecurity could severely disrupt trade and movement if urgent action is not taken.
“If nothing is done, this route may become completely unsafe,” a resident said.
“That will hurt local businesses and the economy.”
Commuters are increasingly taking longer alternative routes or avoiding night travel entirely, as the absence of visible security patrols and checkpoints continues to embolden criminal gangs.
The situation on the Ilorin–Ogbomoso highway reflects the wider problem of rising highway insecurity across Nigeria.