Highway robbery resurfaces on Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway amid economic hardship

Travelers on the Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway in Nigeria are voicing serious concerns over a resurgence of highway robbery attacks. The route, a vital link between Enugu and Ebonyi states, has seen increased armed robbery, primarily after dusk, with recent incidents including the fatal shooting of a commercial Sienna bus driver. This has led to the reintroduction of police checkpoints between 6 p.m. and 7 a.m.

However, some motorists complain that security forces are more focused on extorting drivers than on combating the escalating insecurity. Commercial drivers recall a period of relative peace following the #EndSARS protests, which saw a reduction in checkpoints. They now link the renewed attacks to the nation's worsening economic conditions, suggesting that criminals have turned to highway robbery as kidnapping has become less profitable.

Sources indicate that robbers often monitor commercial vehicles transporting goods before ambushing them. Some commuters also report that criminals exploit the chaos around checkpoints to carry out attacks. Residents along the expressway fear that the deteriorating security situation could disrupt commercial activities and the flow of goods between the South-East and South-South regions, impacting this key economic corridor.

Efforts to obtain a comment from the Enugu State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the spokesperson did not respond to calls or messages. The renewed wave of highway robbery and kidnapping highlights ongoing security challenges in the region.

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