April 10, 2025
By: Getahun Tsegaye
Staff Reporter
Borkena
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia- Residents and travelers using the Addis Ababa–Selale–Gojjam road are raising alarm over escalating insecurity, marked by frequent kidnappings and disruptions that have turned routine travel into a perilous gamble.
A resident from Yaya Gulele Woreda in the North Shewa Zone (Selale), Oromia Region, described to DW the increasingly dangerous conditions they face. “Traveling the main road is risky, but the smaller connecting routes are even worse,” the resident said. They noted that road checkpoints, such as the one at Chancho, often delay or restrict travel. “Sometimes the checkpoint opens at 7 AM, other times not before 8. In the afternoon, it may close as early as 4 PM. After that, traveling becomes extremely dangerous.”
The threat of abduction is not only limited to rural roads. Even the main federal highway linking Addis Ababa to central and northern Ethiopia has become a hotspot for violent incidents. A long-haul driver, who frequently transports goods between Addis Ababa and Gondar, described the fear and exhaustion that comes with driving the route. “You pass one checkpoint and then fear abduction in the next stretch. It’s relentless. We’re exhausted.”
For nearly five years, North Shewa Zone has been marred by severe instability. Despite its proximity to the capital, the area has seen repeated violence, including abductions, killings, and arson attacks targeting civilians. Victims are often held for ransom or accused of links to armed groups. Reports of entire buses being hijacked by armed groups have become increasingly common, leaving travelers and drivers in constant fear.
Authorities have struggled to maintain security in the region. DW’s attempt to reach North Shewa Zone Administrator Kefale Adere for comment was unsuccessful. Since the conflict between the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) and government forces escalated in the region, even local officials have become targets. In the past year alone, at least 10 zone and woreda-level administrators have reportedly been killed by armed groups. One of the most brutal incidents occurred in November, when over 45 people were killed in Wechale Woreda.
The violence has intensified in recent weeks. On Saturday, April 5, Yeshoferoch Andebet [literally translated as ‘Drivers’ Voice’], a social media platform used by cross-regional truck and bus drivers, reported that armed men kidnapped passengers traveling between Gohatsion and Tulu Milki in Oromia. The bus, en route from Bahir Dar to Addis Ababa, was reportedly attacked, with dozens killed and others abducted. The exact number of victims remains unclear, and no official statement has been issued.
This is far from an isolated case. On March 19, over 50 passengers were abducted in Worejarso District, and another bus was hijacked less than a week later. In July 2024, more than 100 university students were kidnapped near Garba Guracha while traveling from the Amhara Region to Addis Ababa.
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC), in its July 2024 annual report, highlighted the rising frequency of kidnappings for ransom, particularly affecting both Oromia and Amhara regions. Kidnappers often demand ransoms exceeding one million birr—sums that many families are unable to pay.
Though the government blames ‘unknown’ armed groups operating in the area, no single group has taken full responsibility for the incidents, nor has a complete investigation into the fate of the kidnapped individuals been made public
With no clear end in sight and conflicting narratives between the government and armed groups, the situation along the Addis Ababa–Selale–Gojjam corridor remains dire. For residents, drivers, and travelers alike, the road now symbolizes not connection—but fear.
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