Benin City – Vehicular movement along the busy Benin–Auchi–Okene highway was brought to a halt on Monday as hundreds of youths from Auchi, Edo State, staged a peaceful protest over severe gully erosion and the escalating wave of kidnappings in the area.
The protest, spearheaded by the Auchi Youth Council, began at the Jattu Junction and quickly caused massive gridlock, leaving motorists and commuters stranded for hours. Long queues of trucks, private vehicles, and commercial motorcycles were seen stretching for kilometres, as police and other security operatives monitored the situation to prevent breakdown of law and order.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Chalaman Momoh said the community could no longer remain silent amid worsening environmental degradation and rising insecurity.
“We are here to cry out to the government on the issue of gully erosion ravaging our community. We have written several letters and received no response. Now, kidnappers no longer wait on highways — they invade homes and abduct residents,” Momoh stated.
The Coordinator of the Coalition for Edo North Youths for Good Governance, Hafiz Lawal, added that no fewer than 15 people had been abducted in recent weeks, with over ₦70 million allegedly paid as ransom.
Lawal also highlighted three major erosion hotspots in the area: Utsokhwilli Gully, Water Tanker Road, and the Auchi–Igarra Road, describing them as imminent threats to lives and property.
“Our demand is clear — the government must urgently tackle both the erosion and insecurity crises. These are no longer isolated issues but community-wide threats,” he said.
As at press time, traffic congestion persisted across the affected highway, with no official response yet from the Edo State Government.
