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Suit Against Proliferation Of Roadblocks In South-East Suffers Setback

Published

2 years ago

January 21, 2024

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has dismissed a suit filed by former Chairman of Nigerian Bar Association, Section on Public Interest and Development Law, NBA-SPIDEL, Dr Monday Ubani seeking to stop the army, police and other security agencies from proliferating the Lagos- Southeast routes with roadblocks.

Ubani had dragged the Attorney-General of the Federation, Inspector-General of Police, Comptroller General of Customs, Chief of Defence Staff, Corp Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corp before the court seeking a declaration that the proliferation of intra-state and highways with road blocks mounted by their officers particularly enroute Lagos to South-eastern part of Nigeria which result in obstruction of free movement in the highway and loss of travel time is a violation of his right to free and undisrupted movement as guaranteed by section 41 of the 1999 Constitution and other enabling laws.

Also joined in the suit as co-respondents are; the Police Force, Nigeria Customs Service Board, Nigerian Army and Federal Road Safety Commission.

Other prayers by Ubani include a declaration that the proliferation of intra-state and highway roadblocks particularly enroute Lagos to South Eastern part of Nigeria, obstructs free flow of traffic, constitute nuisance, causes untold hardship and unwarranted suffering to him and other road users and therefore unlawful and without legal justification.

He also prayed for an order directing the respondents forthwith to dismantle all roadblocks on all intra-state roads and highways throughout the country and particularly along the South-East roads.

Ubani also sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents, their privies, agents and representatives from mounting intra-state and highway roadblocks on Lagos enroute South Eastern roads.

On his ground for seeking the injunctions, Ubani narrated an incident in 2021 when he travelled from Lagos to his home town in Abia state with his family by road and spent about 15 hours along the road due to over 120 roadblocks mounted by officers of the respondents who also subjected other roads users to untold hardship, extortion intimidation and harassments.

In their separate responses to the suit, the Police, Army, Customs and Road Safety Corp admitted mounting roadblocks along the Lagos to South-Eastern route but insisted that they were empowered by enabling laws to do so as part of their responsibilities to secure the country and check crime.

They also insisted that the right of freedom of movement as enshrined in the 1999 constitution is not absolute and maintained that the proliferation of roadblocks along the South-Eastern roads did not in any way infringe on the right of the applicant.

Delivering judgment in the suit, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke held that from evidence before him, it was obvious that indeed there were proliferation of roadblocks along the Lagos-South Eastern road which made the applicant and other users to spend hours on the road.

The court further held that the right to free movement of the applicant was indeed derogated upon due to the powers of the constitution given to the President and the security agencies to map out security measures to secure the country.

However the court failed to address the issue raised by Ubani on why the security measures said to be securing the country are only meant for roads leading to the Eastern region and minimal on other routes in the country.

The judgment reads in part: “All the 2nd to 9th Respondents when they are on the Nigerian Roads, whether intrastate roads, interstate roads or Highways are there to prevent crime. They provide internal security which is the main function of the 3rd Respondent. They therefore perform police duties. In fact, the 4th and 5th Respondents were statutorily given the powers of the Police when carrying out their functions. These Police powers especially to stop, search, arrest and prosecute any person committing an offence was also given to the Respondent.

“There is no way the 9th Respondent can perform its duties without stopping and sometimes searching vehicles. I therefore hold that the road blocks mounted by the 2nd to 9th Respondents which clearly restrict the right to freedom of movement of the Applicant and other road users does not by that reason alone violate the Applicant’s fundamental rights.

“This does not mean that any illegal act committed by the 2nd to 9th Respondents while on the intra-state roads and highways, whether they mounted road blocks or not, cannot be investigated and prosecuted in the law courts according to the laws of Nigeria.

“It is for the reasons given above that I hereby dismiss the application for the enforcement of fundamental rights brought by the Applicant.”

Reacting to the judgement, Ubani said he would appeal the judgement or go back to the court with modification of his reliefs as he believes that the reason for the unnecessary proliferation of the road blocks on the Eastern route is not for security measures.

He maintained that it has become obvious by evidence on ground that that the proliferation of the road blocks is purely and simply for extortion and inconvenience purposes.

News

Otuaro Pledges To Expand PAP Scholarship As Beneficiaries Bag Master’s Degrees From UK Varsities

Published

8 hours ago

December 5, 2025

Editor

Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr. Dennis Otuaro, has expressed his unwavering commitment to expanding the PAP scholarship scheme.

The PAP boss made the pledge at a graduation reception for nine students who were awarded foreign post-graduate scholarships by PAP in universities in the United Kingdom.

A statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Igoniko Oduma, said the successful scholars are the first graduates in the offshore post-graduate scholarship deployment to UK institutions by the PAP Administrator, Dr Dennis Otuaro, for the 2024-2025 academic session.

According to the statement, they graduated from the Anglia Ruskin University, University of Dundee and The University of Law with master’s degrees in cyber security, data science and engineering, law, construction and civil engineering management, project management, and ICT.

Otuaro disclosed in the statement that 711 undergraduate and post-graduate scholarship beneficiaries are expected to graduate from universities within Nigeria this year.

According to Otuaro, the expansion of the scholarship scheme is aimed at creating more opportunities for indigent students of Niger Delta extraction to access higher education with a view to closing the human capital development gap in the region.

Otuaro said it was for this reason he deployed 3800 beneficiaries in-country in the 2024-2025 academic year, and increased the figure to 3900 in the 2025-2026 academic session with 200 for foreign scholarships.

He said under his administration, 7700 students have been so far deployed for the PAP scholarship scheme within Nigeria in less than two years.

According to him, aince he took over, he has deployed 162 students from the region for post-graduate programmes in targeted disciplines in the UK universities.

According to him, this is in conformity with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu for the Niger Delta, who has given unprecedented support to the PAP because of his sincere love for the area.

The PAP boss said, “Our decision aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR for the Niger Delta. We will continue to create more higher educational opportunities for students from indigent backgrounds in our region.

“We are also deepening the implementation of the programme’s mandate in informal education and other areas for the sustainable peace and socio-economic advancement of the region.”

Otuaro, who congratulated the master’s graduates on their successful graduation, stressed that they completed their programmes in record time which shows the seriousness they had put into their studies.

He said they have justified the Federal Government’s investment in their education with their successful graduation, and urged other beneficiaries not to be distracted in their academic pursuits.

“We congratulate these scholars on their successful graduation. It shows that they took their studies seriously. That is what we demand of every scholarship beneficiary, whether at the undergraduate or post-graduate level”, Otuaro said.

News

Okpebholo Declares Edo Business-friendly

Published

10 hours ago

December 5, 2025

Editor

Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State on Friday declared the state as Edo business-friendly environment and ready to welcome any investor to the state.

The governor spoke when he played host to members of the South – South Coalition of the Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (COSSCIMA).

The governor, who received his guests through the Office of the Deputy Governor, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, said his administration has provided the enabling environment for investors to promote their businesses.

The governor commended the COSSCIMA for deeming it fit to choose the stata as host to the annual general meeting of the body.

“It is not surprising that you pick the state as a choice because we have provided the enabling environment by investing in infrastructure and reducing insecurity to the barest minimum.

“So, we assured potential investors that the state is safe, secured for all to come and invest,” he stated.

Also speaking, Hon. Omoh Anabor, Commissioner for Business, Trade, and Investment, said that the state was ready to partner any firm.

Earlier in his address, President of COSSCIMA, Hon. Indutimi komonibo said, “The Edo State Governor is doing a great job.

He, however, pointed out that nonetheless reiterated, “No government can succeed without partnering with the organized private sector.”

“We seek collaboration wherever we go. We carry the emblem of national development. Investors are looking for where their business will thrive. We understand the language of the business.”

He stated that COSSCIMA membership cut across the six Chambers of Commerce that make up the South-South states of the federation.

News

Oba Of Benin Suspends Priest, Reaffirms Appointment Of Okao

Published

10 hours ago

December 5, 2025

Editor

The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare the second, has suspended the traditional priest of Uniamen Village, Chief Sunday Sidney Enoma as the Ohen-Ovia of Unuamen for violating the custom and traditional of Benin.

The Monarch reaffirmed Chief Kingsley Igbinosa as the Okao (traditional head) of Unuamen Village, in Ovia North East local Government Area of Edo State.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Osaigbovo Iguobaro, the Oba described the claim by the suspended Ohen of Unuamen that he is the one who usually installs the Okao of the village as baseless, unfounded and abominable.

The Benin Monarch noted that all Chieftaincy titles in Benin kingdom are conferred by the Oba.