•••Barricade Ibadan-Ijebu Ode Road
Soji Ajibola, Ibadan
Protesting youths have barricaded the Ibadan end of Ijebu-Ode expressway over increasing road mishaps which has resulted in death of youth corps members and sizeable numbers of people in the past few days.
The protesters numbering over 100 took over the expressway, thereby forcing motorists to make detours in search of an alternative routes out of the town.
Commuters were forced to trek long distance, especially staff of the Oluyole local government secretariat, Idi-Ayunre.
The round about that leads to the main gate of the Council headquarter, Idi-Ayunre was blocked while traders were forced to abandon their stores.
However, police from Idi Ayunre, Divisional Police Station are on ground to prevent breakdown of law and order.
In an interview with our correspondent, the leader of the protesters, Tunde Adegoke, decried the increasing rate of carnage on the expressway, especially at Idi Ayunre.
Blaming the incident on recklessness of motorists plying the route, especially truck drivers, he said the number of deaths being recorded on the road on daily basis is alarming.
According to him, on Sunday, a villager who was returning from his farm was overran by hit and run driver.
Also, few days ago similar incident happened some metres away where no fewer than five people lost their lives.
A youth corp member and one Mr. Adedeji were killed by reckless truck drivers along this road last month.
“Irked by this development, we, the youths from Oluyole local government and symphatizers from the other 33 local government areas across the state decide to embark on a peaceful protest to press home our demands for the erection of speed breakers along the expressway.
“We have many companies with operational base along this axis. They should come to our aids with erection of speed breakers.
“The Federal Road Safety Commission, (FRSC) should enforce the installation of speed limits device on vehicle plying the route
“We are tired of losing our promising youths on daily basis to road mishap.
“The protest and blockade of the road will continue until our demand is met.”
