Yesterday, on my way from Owerri at around 6.15pm, the bus conveying me and other passengers were almost caught by the notorious armed robbers / kidnappers at Omerelu, Rivers State. In fact, beside our bus was another bus but thanks to God for his intervention, and the quick thinking of the driver, he immediately put the bus in reverse motion. 2 boys wielding riffles were running at us from the front, and 2 other boys came out from the bush beside us. As we were all holding our breathe for the moment of final escape, the robbers took the easier option of catching the other bus that was stationed beside us.

After a few meters and we saw them retreating to the other bus, our driver quickly did a turn around and made a quick drive back towards owerri. Now the amazing thing is that we just drove past a police check point less than 2kms before the incident. We got back to the check point and informed them. They drove there in the car and bikes and after 10mins, they returned and gave us the all clear that we can proceed; that the robbers have left the scene. That was how the robbers successfully hijacked a 14seater bus yesterday evening and my heart is deeply pained at what will surely go down with the victims (robbed, beaten, stripped naked, dehumanized, rape of old/young/pregnant women ).

I use the medium to inform all road travelers this season.... avoid as much as possible that road...better to follow the traffic at Aba....

Also, please patronize licensed transporters like ABC and co.... I heard (don't know if it is true) that some of the criminals work based on information from an accomplice inside the bus.

MY OBSERVATION
Between omagwa airport junction and Elele junction, all the army checkpoints were dislodged by the ogas at the top due to reports that they collect money from motorists. Also, between elele junction and the elele/omerelu boundary, there are police checkpoints stationed at every 500mtrs. Thus, you can sight the next checkpoint with clearview. But after the boundary, there are only 3 checkpoints till after umuapu (the worst point on the road). I don't mind making a 2hrs journey in 4hrs (due to plenty checkpoints) as long as I am safe from robbery. In fact, it is better than spending days in the kidnappers den. The govt of Rivers state should also as a matter of urgency direct the commissioner of police to order his men to flood that area otherwise, ppl that are travelling fr the xmas holiday will only end up doing xmas for those guys.

A soldier man told me that before they were asked to leave the area, that they usuaally lay ambush for the robbers and as soon as they stop a vehicle, the soldiers attack the robbers and kill them. But they keep returning every week! If the military enters the community and start killing ppl now, the whole media will rise up and attack the military but nobody is saying anything now because it hasn't affected them... Sunny Bobo (the musician) said "i don't care is for him that hasn't been attacked yet...when you get attacked, you must care".

once its 6pm and you are yet to cross that axis , just pay 5k for a cheap hotel and sleep till the following day. dont even dare to ravel very early on that route .

there is hunger in the land and many of our youths are not engaged in any money maKING venture

my brother, this was my first exprience there and by God's grace, my last experience

That Owerri - Port Harcourt road is something else.
That's how I nearly got robbed at Elele heading back to PH, few mins after you pass Madonna. If not for a tanker driver that followed one way at full speed while blaring his horn to notify us. Still we couldn't stop soon enough and almost ran into those boys, about 6 visible ones (I'm sure some were taking cover in the bush)...they were about 2 stone throw from us before we reverse with the pedal to the floor. You need to see those guys....young guys tho, but armed to the teeth, they were already ransacking a Toyota Hiace bus.

We later passed through after 2 army hilux went ahead to arrest the situation (we passed them not too long ago before the incident...they were likely notified by the tanker driver). This was around 18:30 - 19:00 hours.

The government need to do something about this.

CC: Seun lalastica debbie Mynd44 front page please.