[dropcap]P[/dropcap]resident Muhammadu Buhari has been urged to direct the Inspector-General of Police (IG) to dismantle road blocks mounted by his officers on the South Eastern roads. Human Rights, Liberty Access and Peace Foundation (HURIJE), which made the call in a release in Onitsha, on Friday, described the increasing number of checkpoints in the zone as haven for corruption.
The statement signed by chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of HURIJE, Dede Uzor Uzor, revealed that there were over hundred road blocks mounted by the Police in different routes in South East. The group said there were not less than 25 road blocks from Onitsha to Owerri, 28 from Enugu-Porthacourt, 16 from Enugu -Owerri, 24 from Onitsha-Enugu, 18 from Onitsha -Orlu, among others.
The group said while the Police gave the checkmating of criminals as reason for mounting these road blocks, it had become clear that the road blocks had become “oil well” for the Police authority and officers. “ They do not provide the expected security again. They have grossly abused road blocks. Road blocks have outlived their usefulness. They should be scrapped and dismantled immediately. Why is it that it is only in the South East that the Police mounted larger chunk of their road blocks? You don’t see much of Police road blocks in the North and West but here, they used road blocks to extort money from traders and other road users,” said the groups.
The group wondered why the larger chunk of the road blocks were prevalent in the South East, saying “You don’t see much of Police roadblocks in the North and West.” It however lauded President Buhari for dismantling the roadblocks mounted by the army in various parts of the South East, saying their removal had brought relief to the people of the zone, especially travelers.
