Ondo communities allege Okada riders’ links to bandits, demand action
Residents of Akoko South-East Local Government Area of Ondo State have raised concerns over an alleged collaboration between some commercial motorcyclists, popularly known as okada riders, and suspected bandits operating
Residents of Akoko South-East Local Government Area of Ondo State have raised concerns over an alleged collaboration between some commercial motorcyclists, popularly known as okada riders, and suspected bandits operating in parts of the state.
The protesters alleged that certain riders, alongside a few local informants, provide intelligence and logistics support to kidnappers by tracking travellers' movements, identifying potential targets, and guiding them through forest routes used as hideouts.
Speaking during a protest in Isua Akoko on Wednesday, the residents said the security situation in the area has deteriorated despite repeated appeals to authorities. They claimed that kidnappers often act with insider information.
One of the protesters, Abimbola Balogun, said victims are sometimes followed from their workplaces or markets to their homes before being attacked. She expressed concern that women have increasingly become targets of abduction in the community.
“They have taken over our communities in Isua, and the bandits have informants among us. These criminals don’t just pick people randomly. They know who is coming home from work, the marketplace or travelling, and even the vehicle being used. Somebody is giving them information,” she alleged.
Balogun called on traditional rulers and community leaders to strengthen local vigilance groups and monitor unfamiliar individuals moving within their areas.
Another protester, Oluwafemi Abitogun, alleged that some motorcycle operators transport food, fuel and other supplies to forest camps used by armed groups under the cover of commercial activities.
He expressed concern over the safety of highways linking the state to Abuja, Kogi State and neighbouring towns, particularly during evening hours. Abitogun urged the state government and security agencies to profile and properly register commercial motorcycle operators to identify suspected collaborators.
“You will see the okada riders entering bush paths freely. They know where these people stay. Without local support, these kidnappers cannot survive. We are calling on the government to take action and for security agencies to strengthen intelligence gathering,” he said.
Abitogun added that farmers in boundary communities have avoided their farmlands due to fears of abduction, alleging that several families have paid ransoms in recent months. According to him, the situation has disrupted economic activities and forced some residents to relocate.
"Our people can no longer farm or trade freely. Parents are afraid to send their children on errands. We are living in fear daily. These bandits have taken over and have dominated our forests," Abitogun added.
The protesters, however, placed curses on 'collaborators,' insisting that the menace may persist until they are identified and made to face the law.
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The development came after the Isua community was thrown into mourning after suspected herdsmen abducted and killed an indigene and youth leader, later identified as Ojo Abbey.
Abbey was reportedly abducted on February 22, 2026, by suspected bandits while returning to Isua Akoko from the neighbouring community of Ibilo in Edo State.
According to residents, the assailants whisked the victim into the forest along the Ondo-Edo boundary community and killed him.
Governor Aiyedatiwa had earlier given a marching order to security agencies to launch an immediate and coordinated "crackdown" on suspected kidnappers terrorising residents across parts of the state.
Aiyedatiwa, in a statement issued by his Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Idowu Ajanaku, expressed deep concern over the rising cases of abduction in the state.
The governor noted that investigations conducted by security agencies showed that some crimes and kidnapping cases in the state were being orchestrated with the involvement of "local collaborators."
He claimed his government was aware that certain "unscrupulous elements" were deliberately using criminal activities to portray the state as unsafe, stressing that such acts would not be tolerated.
