Steve Uzoechi A growing crisis of extortion and civilian harassment at military checkpoints across the South-Eastern region of Nigeria has prompted urgent calls for intervention, as citizens face mounting frustration over widespread security checkpoint abuses.
The Igbo National Council (INC) Worldwide has revealed the existence of more than 90 security checkpoints across the five South-Eastern states, raising serious concerns about the militarization of the region and systematic exploitation of civilians.
According to reports, the South-East zone is effectively “under siege,” with security checkpoints positioned at almost every two kilometers along major roads, creating significant hardship for travelers and local residents.
Road users have increasingly voiced their frustration over persistent extortion practices, with predictions that the situation may worsen during the upcoming Christmas holiday period when many South-Easterners return home.
In response to these challenges, a formal petition from Igbo National Council Worldwide (INC), signed by the National President of the organization, Comrade Chilos A.C. Godsent, has been submitted to the Defence Headquarters and the National Assembly, prompting the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions to schedule a hearing regarding the “Unlawful Extortion of Motorists and Wanton Humiliation of Civilian Passengers and Road Users by Security Operatives” at various checkpoints in the region.
The petition read in part: “Security operatives serving in some of the JTF / Military Checkpoints / Outposts in the five states of the South East Region of Nigeria have turned these checkpoints and outposts into illegal toll gates and humiliation points against civilian road users. The worst of it is that they carry out these acts with impunity. This act of intimidation and extortion of commercial bus and lorry drivers and the humiliation of civilian passengers on these checkpoints has become quite alarming.
“In some of these Joint Taskforce / Military checkpoints, civilian passengers are asked to come down from their vehicles and trek a distance to cross the checkpoint before entering their vehicles to continue their journey. This humiliation of Nigeria citizens is carried out not minding if it was raining or scorching sunny.
“In some of these checkpoints, they go a long way to order civilian passengers to raise their two hands while trekking to cross the checkpoint, which is a sign of surrender, while motorcyclists are ordered to roll their motorcycle to cross the checkpoint. Another of these obnoxious acts is the arbitrary search of some passengers’ phone without a search warrant, even when these persons are not under arrest.”
The situation has become so disturbing that several human rights advocacy groups have called on the Nigeria Defence Headquarters and the Chief of Army Staff to dismantle these military checkpoints, particularly highlighting problematic locations such as the checkpoint at Ukwu Orji.
The INC petition among other things highlights the urgent need for reform and accountability in the operations of security forces in the South-East.
“The overwhelming presence of these checkpoints, coupled with reported cases of extortion and civilian harassment, has created a tense atmosphere of anxiety and distrust between security forces and local communities across the South-East”, it said.
