Commuters and passengers who ply the emohua-kalabari axis of the east-west road in Rivers State have lamented the incessant attacks and kidnapping along the failed portion of the road.

You may recall that about 5 passengers were on Saturday abducted on the failed portion of the emohua-kalabari axis of the east-west road in Port Harcourt. This incident occured barely weeks after one Salvation Harry was abducted and killed on the same failed portion of the road, among many other incidents of abduction on that road.

The commuters and passengers who spoke to our correspondent, lamented the unavailability of security operatives at the failed portion of the road where the abductors have been constantly perpetrating this evil.

A commuter simply identified as Henry said, who lamented the rate of kidnapping on the road and how it is affecting his business, said, "before, there were OSPAC security personnel on that road and no one was harrased then, but, since OSPAC was banned from that road, there have been series of attacks. Some months ago, they shot a driver, but by God's grace, he did not die. The second attack, they killed the driver. Now, on Saturday they carried all the passengers and asked the driver to go because he is old. As I am speaking with you now, some of the passengers have been freed, while those who have not been able to raise money are still in captivity. Please, let the government help to fix the failed portion of the road. That will help check the rate of kidnapping on that road. Also, let the government reinforce security on that road to ensure the safety of travellers and commuters.

Another driver who didn't want his name mentioned said, "anything past 5:30pm to 6pm, we will no longer have passengers. In the early hours of the morning, we cannot go out, because we're afraid of the kidnappers. They usually come out right at the bad spot and the police officers on that road are usually stationed at the good spot, leaving the bad spot. They will be there collecting money, bribe. Infact, we don't need Police officers in that road anymore, we need the military men. At least, two to three military check points will be okay for us. Instead of twenty, thirty police checkpoints."

A Passenger who pleaded anonimity said, "We are not expecting such a thing to happen in our area again, because we have our parents travelling daily on this road, how can we be experiencing kidnapping and all kinds of things on that road. We want to use this medium to beg the government to assist us by working on those bad spots of the road. If they can do that, the issue of kidnapping will reduce."

Another passenger, Pastor Martins Chijioke, who expressed fear over the level of kidnapping on the road, said, the passengers who normally ply that road are scared for their lives and are withdrawing. The drivers have found an alternative route for safety."