News

Fresh Worries Over Multiple Checkpoints In South-East

Published

1 year ago

February 2, 2025

The Christmas and New Year festivities have brought the issue of multiple checkpoints and alleged extortion by different security agents across roads in South-East region to the front burner following the frustrating experiences of commuters and motorists.

The region is known for its rich cultural heritage, scenic landscapes, and warm hospitality. However, for travellers, the zone’s numerous checkpoints have become a source of frustration, anxiety, and unwarranted delays.

Plagued

The area is home to numerous security checkpoints, ostensibly set up to maintain law and order, prevent crime, and ensure public safety.

However, the sheer number of checkpoints, often spaced just a few meters apart, has created a situation where travellers are subjected to repeated stops, searches, questioning and dehumanizing treatments in some cases.

For travellers, navigating the checkpoints is often frustrating and stressful. The constant stops and searches leads to significant delays, causing travellers to miss appointments, meetings, and other events.

Onitsha to Enugu

For example, from Onitsha to Enugu, a distance of approximately 105 kilometres, there are a whopping 28 checkpoints. They are manned by various security agencies, including the army, police, Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.

To break it down further, there are eight army checkpoints along the federal road including Awkuzu Junction, Unizik Junction, Ugwuoba Junction, and others. There are 13 police checkpoints including one at Dunukofia LGA headquarters, Enugu Ukwu Junction, Amawbia Junction, and others.

Furthermore, there are three FRSC checkpoints including Ugwuoba Junction, and Abakpa Junction. There is also one NDLEA location at Ugwuoba Junction. Other checkpoints include that of anti-terror squad and local neighborhood outfits.

Onitsha – Owerri Road

Similar situation is found in other roads in the region such as Onitsha – Owerri Road, Owerri – Aba Road and Enugu – Port Harcourt Road.

From Aba to Umuahia, Owerri to Okigwe, Enugu to Abakaliki, Awka to Onitsha to Nnewi, the story is the same.

From Aba to Enugu, a distance of 150 kilometres, there are at least 12 army checkpoints and over 16 police checkpoints, permanently mounted and a couple of stop and search police teams.

Put together, from Lagos to Onitsha, Abuja to Enugu and the numerous ones dotting other the roads in the region, no fewer than 4000 checkpoints constitute embarrassing barriers to people.

At each checkpoint, motorists are openly extorted amounts ranging between N500 to N1000.

This cuts across checkpoints manned by military and police.

Further checks showed the existence of about 38 checkpoints between Lagos and Ore.

They are demarcated with wooden flatbeds, logs, sandbags, and fire cans.

Also, from Ore to Benin has no fewer than 20. Benin to Onitsha is about 25 checkpoints.

Other checkpoints identified include Amaraku/Anara/Okigwe Road in Imo State, University of Nigeria Teachings Hospital (UNTH) in Ituku, Isuawa, Mpa, Ohia, Ihube, Mgboho, Nenwe, Okigwe junction, Lokpanta, Agwu Junction and Enugu-Abia boundary.

Others are at Ugwuoba, Enugu-Awka boundary, Awkuzu, Oyi Junction, Onuimo, Eke Obinagu Junction, Owo, Nkalagu, Enugu-Ebonyi border, Onueke, Ugwu Onyeama, Ninth Mile, Ezeagu, Oji River junction, Ugwuoba, and Enugu-Awka boundary.

Boundary

There are also Malaysia Market between the boundary of Owerri and Umuahia, PDS Owerri/Okigwe Road, Akanchanwa along Owerri/Aba Road,

Umuowa along Owerri/Aba Road, Mega Filling Station along Owerri/Okigwe Road, Amakohia Flyover Orlu Road. Ubomiri along Owerri/Orlu Road and Hospital Junction along Owerri/Port Hacourt Road among others.

Military checkpoints

One of the most dreaded military checkpoints in the zone is the one at Ihiala along the Onitsha-Owerri Road. In particular, the one located almost opposite Abbott Boys Secondary School, Ihiala, is a nightmare to those who use the road daily. Sometimes the traffic gridlock caused by the soldiers there could stretch up to one kilometre on both sides.

During the last yuletide season, the situation was exacerbated by the increased volume of travellers on the roads.

For many commuters and motorists, the experience of navigating the South-East region’s checkpoints was a harrowing one.

Some travelers reported being stopped at multiple places within a short distance, with security personnel demanding bribes or extorting money from them. Some have even reported being forced to pay bribes or being detained for hours without justification.

“I was traveling from Lagos to Enugu for Christmas, but my journey was delayed by over 5 hours due to the numerous checkpoints. The security personnel were slow and seemed uninterested in letting us pass”, said Mr. Mike Okoh, an indigene of Enugu who resides in Lagos.

Ifeoma Okwara lamented that she spent over three hours at a checkpoint in Anambra State.

“I spent over three hours waiting at a checkpoint in Anambra State. The security personnel were slow, and it seemed like they were intentionally delaying us. It was frustrating and exhausting”, she lamented.

Money spinners

Findings by Sunday Vanguard revealed that checkpoints have become money spinners for operatives rather than a security measure to check the activities of criminal elements.

It was gathered that passengers bear the burnt of the financial pressure the alleged extortions place on motorists. For example, the skyrocketing cost of transportation is also linked to the money spent at checkpoints.

“I was stopped at a checkpoint in Imo State”, narrated Uche Nnadi. “The security personnel demanded that I pay N5,000 to be allowed to pass. When I refused, they threatened to detain me. It was a harrowing experience.”

Another traveller, Monday Expo, shared similar experience. He said: “I was stopped at a checkpoint, and the security personnel demanded that I pay N2,000 to be allowed to pass. When I refused, they let me go, but not before warning me that I would regret not paying the bribe.”

Others reported being subjected to humiliating searches, with security personnel rummaging through their luggage and personal belongings. In some cases, travellers reported being detained for hours, without any explanation or justification.

Chinwendu Uju said the development exposes commuters to avoidable risks and inhuman treatment, as passengers were sometimes made to disembark from their vehicles and trek across military checkpoints.

“I was travelling with my family when we were stopped at a checkpoint. The security personnel were rude and harassed us, demanding that we open our luggage for inspection. It was a traumatic experience.”

Call for Reform

The situation has become a major concern for the public. While the need for security is undeniable, the current approach is believed to be clearly not working, necessitating an urgent need for reform.

This is to ensure that security checkpoints are operated in a fair, transparent, and accountable manner.

Member representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency in Abia State, Amobi Ogah, called for immediate reduction of security checkpoints in southeast region, especially on the Onitsha/Enugu Expressway.

Ogah in a motion before the House of Representatives, said the excessive security checkpoints violate the rights of the people in the region to free movement, as well as affect economic activities. “These multiple roads checkpoints subject travellers to constant harassment, delays, and extortions of different sorts, in addition to other inconveniences.

“The House may be aware that the installation of numerous checkpoints along expressway violates the constitutional right of Nigerian citizens to free movement as enshrined in Section 41 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

“It is also a direct affront to the dignity of the people, particularly in the Southeast, where such levels of militarization are more pronounced. The House is notified that these security checkpoints appear to be more of a tool for harassment than a genuine effort in ensuring security.

“It is in the record that ordinary citizens, especially commercial drivers, are often forced to pay bribes at the checkpoints to avoid delays or harassment”, the lawmaker said in the motion.

He called for the use of modern and efficient means of managing security in the region without subjecting the people to undue hardship or violating their human rights.

Appeal

Meanwhile, South- East leaders had pleaded with President Bola Tinubu, to order for the dismantling of checkpoints and road blocks in the area, saying that the road blocks make goods expensive.

The demands were made at the town hall meeting during Tinubu’s official visit to Enugu State. Presenting his appeal, Onyemuche Nnamani noted that checkpoints and road blocks have a lot of drawbacks which have negatively affected the economy of the people in the zone and even constitute security risk.

He contended that with the modern command and control centre established by the Enugu State government and other strategies put in place, there was no need for the traditional checkpoints and road blocks.

“Checkpoints have many drawbacks; they make the movement of goods and persons very expensive, very inefficient, increase the low cost of logistics, leading to high inflation. They tie down valuable security manpower, they needlessly expose the brave men and women of our security agencies to attacks by criminals.

“In view of this, Your Excellency, we appeal to you to support Enugu State and security agencies, to deemphasize the traditional practice of roadblocks, stop and search and all that. Our people are really complaining about those things.

“It will be a great honour. When we say de-emphasize, what it means is that we are providing alternatives. You have seen the patrol vans, you have seen the cameras mounted all over the state. So we have alternatives to all this. So we just want to de-emphasize this issue of stop and search and roadblocks”, Nnamani explained.
(VANGUARD)

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Oshiomhole Tells FG To Retaliate Against South African Companies In Nigeria

Published

11 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

Senator Adams Oshiomhole has called on the Federal Government to retaliate against South African businesses operating in Nigeria following the recent attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

Speaking during plenary on Tuesday, Oshiomhole said the Federal Government should consider revoking the working license of South African owned companies such as MTN and DSTV.

He argued that Nigeria must respond firmly to what he described as persistent hostility against its citizens.

“I am not going to shed tears. If you hit me, I hit you. I think it is appropriate in diplomacy. It is an economic struggle,” Oshiomhole said.

He argued that while some South Africans accuse Nigerians of taking their jobs, Nigerians should return home and take over employment opportunities created by major South African companies operating in the country, including MTN and DSTV.

“When we hit back, the President of South Africa will not only talk but will also go on his knees to recognise that Nigeria cannot be intimidated.

“We will not condone any life being lost. If a crime has been committed under the South African law they have the right to bring any such person to justice, but to kill our people as if we are helpless, we will not allow that,” Oshiomhole added.

DAILY POST reports that several Nigerians in South Africa have reportedly been attacked, and their businesses destroyed, in ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

News

IGP Orders Officers Display Name Tag On Uniform, Gives Update On State Police

Published

11 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

The Inspector General of Police, IGP, Tunji Disu, has ordered all police personnel to always have their name tags on their uniforms for easy identification.

Disu disclosed that only police personnel who are undercover are exempted from displaying their name tags.

Speaking on Tuesday, Disu said: “All police officers should have their name tags. All of us on the high table have our names apart from the undercover among us so if you look at all the Commissioners of Police we have our name tags, so it’s not our standard.

News

Court Orders SERAP To Pay DSS Operatives N100m For Defamation

Published

16 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has ordered a non-governmental organization, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, to pay N100 million as damaged to two operatives of the Department of the State Services, DSS, for unjustly defaming them in some publications.

The court also ordered SERAP to tender public apologies to the defamed officers,
Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele, in two national newspapers, two television stations and its website.

Besides, the organization was also ordered to pay the two operatives N1 million as cost of litigation and 10 percent post-judgment interest annually on the judgment sum until it’s fully liquidated.

Justice Yusuf Halilu of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory gave the order on Tuesday while delivering judgment in a N5.5 billion defamation suit instituted against SERAP by the DSS operatives.

The judge found SERAP liable for unjustly defaming the two DSS operatives with allegations that they unlawfully invaded its Abuja office, harassed and intimidated its staff, in September 2024.

In the offending publication on its website and Twitter handle, SERAP alleged that the two operatives unlawfully invaded and occupied its office with sinister motives.

The judge held that the publication was in bad taste especially from an organization established to promote transparency and accountability, as nothing in the publication was found to be truthful.

The DSS staff had listed SERAP as 1st defendant in the suit marked CV/4547/2024. SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, was listed as the 2nd defendant.

In the suit, the claimants – Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele – accused the two defendants of making false claims that they invaded SERAP’s Abuja office on September 9, 2024..

Counsel to the DSS, Oluwagbemileke Samuel Kehinde, had while adopting his final address in the mater urged the judge to grant all the reliefs sought by his client in the interest of justice.

He admitted that although the names of the two claimants were not mentioned in the defamation materials, they had however established substantial circumstances that they are the ones referred to in the published defamation article by SERAP on its website.

The counsel submitted that all ingredients of defamation have been clearly established and the offending publication referred to the two officials of the secret police.

However, SERAP, through its counsel, Victoria Bassey from Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, law firm, asked the court to dismiss the suit on the ground that the two claimants did not establish that they were the ones referred to in the alleged defamation materials.

She said that SERAP used “DSS officials” in the alleged offending publication, adding that the two claimants must establish that they are the ones referred to before their case can succeed.

Similar arguments were canvassed by Oluwatosin Adefioye who stood for the second defendant, adding that there was no dispute in the September 9, 2024 operation of DSS in SERAP’s office.

He said that since SERAP in the publication did not name any particular person, the claimants must plead special circumstances that they were the ones referred to as the DSS officials.

Besides, he said that there is no organization by name Department of State Services in law, hence, DSS cannot claim being defamed adding that the only entity known to law is National Security Agency.

The claimants had in the suit stated that the alleged false claim by SERAP has negatively impacted on their reputation.

The DSS also stated, in the statement of claim, that, in line with the agency’s practice of engaging with officials of non-governmental organisations operating in the FCT to establish a relationship with their new leadership, it directed the two officials – John and Ogunleye – to visit SERAP’s office and invite them for a familiarization meeting.

The claimants added that in carrying out the directive, John and Ogunleye paid a friendly visit to SERAP’s office at 18 Bamako Street, Wuse Zone 1, Abuja on September 9 and met with one Ruth, who upon being informed about the purpose of the visit, claimed that none of SERAP’s management staff was in the country and advised that a formal letter of invitation be written by the DSS.

John and Ogundele, who claimed that their interactions with Ruth were recorded, said before they immediately exited SERAP’s office, Ruth promised to inform her organisation’s management about the visit and volunteered a phone number – 08160537202.

They said it was surprising that, shortly after their visit, SERAP posted on its X (Twitter) handle – @SERAPNigeria – that officers of the DSS are presently unlawfully occupying its office.

The claimant added, “On the same day, the defendants also published a statement on SERAP’s website, which was widely reported by several media outfits, falsely alleging that some officers from the DSS, described as “a tall, large, dark-skinned woman” and “a slim, dark skinned man,” invaded their Abuja office and interrogated the staff of the first defendant (SERAP).

John and Ogundele stated that “due to the false statements published by the defendants, the DSS has been ridiculed and criticised by international agencies such as the Amnesty International and prominent members of the Nigerian society, such as Femi Falana (SAN)”.

“Due to the false statements published by the defendants, members of the public and the international community formed the opinion that the Federal Government is using the DSS to harass the defendants.”

They added that the defendants’ statements caused harm to their reputation because the staff and management of the DSS have formed the opinion that the claimants did not follow orders and carried out an unsanctioned operation and are therefore, incompetent and unprofessional.

The claimants therefore prayed the court for the following reliefs: “An order directing the defendants to tender an apology to the claimants via the first defendant’s (SERAP’s) website, X (twitter) handle, two national daily newspapers (Punch and Vanguard) and two national news television stations (Arise Television and Channels Television) for falsely accusing the claimants of unlawfully invading the first defendant’s office and interrogating the first defendant’s staff.

“An order directing the defendants to pay the claimants the sum of N5 billion as damages for the libellous statements published about the claimants.

“Interest on the sum of N5b at the rate of 10 percent per annum from the date of judgment until the judgment sum is realised or liquidated.

“An order directing the defendants to pay the claimants the sum of N50 million as costs of this action.”