Kwara Community Laments Omu-Aran–Kabba Road’s Deplorable Condition
Residents and stakeholders in Iloffa community, Oke-Ero Local Government Area of Kwara State, have raised concerns over the deteriorating condition of the Omu-Aran–Iloffa–Eruku–Egbe–Kabba federal highway, describing it as a death trap and a major threat to economic activities in the area.
The community said the poor state of the 143-kilometre Ilorin–Egbe route had severely disrupted transportation, affected the movement of agricultural produce and increased the cost of doing business for residents.
The Alofa of Iloffa, Oba Samuel Niyi Dada, who expressed concern over the situation, said several sections of the road had become almost impassable due to deep potholes, gullies and muddy stretches, particularly during the rainy season.
According to the monarch, motorists now endure prolonged delays on the route, while frequent cases of burst tyres, damaged axles and other vehicle breakdowns have become common.
He said the deteriorating road had also forced some commercial transport operators to abandon the route, while those still operating on it had increased fares to compensate for the risks and additional costs involved.
Oba Dada said the development had placed a heavy burden on passengers, particularly farmers who depend on the road to transport their produce from rural communities to markets.
He noted that Iloffa, being a major agrarian community, had been particularly affected, as farmers were increasingly unable to move their produce on time, resulting in significant losses and, in some cases, the rotting of farm products.
The monarch further disclosed that the condition of the road had forced some motorists to divert through township roads, putting additional pressure on local roads in Iloffa.
He added that some drivers had resorted to using isolated forest routes to avoid the worst sections of the highway, exposing them to security risks, including possible attacks by kidnappers and bandits.
Oba Dada said a journey from Ilorin to Egbe through Omu-Aran, Iloffa and Eruku, which previously took about two hours, could now take between seven and eight hours and, in some cases, an entire day.
He therefore appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Minister of Works, David Umahi, and Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, to urgently intervene and facilitate the rehabilitation of the highway.
He stressed that restoring the road would not only ease the hardship faced by residents and motorists but also revive economic activities and improve the movement of agricultural produce across the affected communities.
