The Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Francis Arhiyor, has raised alarm over the escalating cases of kidnapping and armed robbery in Nigeria, blaming the surge on the country’s deteriorating road network.

Arhiyor said criminals have turned bad roads into ambush points, taking advantage of failed highway sections to attack motorists and commuters.

“The truth is that if the roads are good, cases of armed robbery and kidnapping will be reduced because these hoodlums take undue advantage of bad spots to strike,” he said.

He called on the Federal Government to urgently repair the East-West Highway in the Niger Delta region, describing it as a notorious route for criminal activities.

The NURTW boss, however, commended Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, for flagging off the reconstruction of the Warri–Sapele–Benin Road, saying the intervention would bring much-needed relief to transporters and travellers.

“If the roads are good and the driver is moving at normal speed, nobody can jump in front of a vehicle to attack,” Arhiyor stated. “Our members have suffered greatly vehicles breaking down, daily repair costs, and even life-threatening attacks.”

He urged the Federal Government to give urgent attention to the Warri–Port Harcourt, Benin–Akwa Ibom, and Benin By-Pass routes, which he described as “terribly bad” and in dire need of reconstruction.

While flagging off the Warri–Sapele–Benin Road reconstruction, Governor Oborevwori said the project underscores the importance of collaboration between federal and state authorities for the welfare of Nigerians.

“Although this road is a federal route, the users are Deltans and Nigerians, and their safety and comfort are what matter most to us,” the governor said, describing the road as a critical national link connecting major cities in the South-South and beyond.