Motorists groan over roadblocks, activities of security agents in South-East

“I’m still surprised why the governors of Enugu and Anambra States have not addressed the hardship security operatives are causing on our roads. How can you have all these checkpoints just from Awka to Enugu?

“What is most worrisome is that these people are not doing anything related to security. They just block the road and cause traffic snarls everywhere. They only remember to search you if the boys working for them ask you to give money and you refuse. Sometimes, they just sit down under the shade, while those local boys harass drivers and park anyone who refuses to give money.

“My greatest unhappiness is about those boys. Because they are running errands for military men, if they look at you and feel you are not obeying them, they just park you. Very saucy people.”

The above is the complaint of Mr Kelechi Okoro, a driver with one of the transport companies.

His complaint was about the difficulty drivers face in the zone because of the heavy presence of military and police operatives.

Recently, this reporter took a return trip from Awka to Enugu and back, through the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway and experienced first hand the plight of commuters on the road.

The journey started from Aroma junction in Awka, through Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, down to Amansea, before exiting Anambra.

But it was a surprise that at such a short stretch of road, which was less than four kilometres, this reporter encountered a Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) checkpoint, a Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) checkpoint, a navy checkpoint, a mobile police checkpoint and more, before exiting into Enugu State, which didn’t have less.

Checks showed that there are at least 20 checkpoints mounted by various security agencies, operating from Awka to Enugu, through the expressway, which is about 50 kilometres. This leaves drivers with their legs constantly on the brake pedal.

Although the high number of security checks could be attributed to the insecurity in the South-East, the attitude of the security men makes the situation more disturbing.

For example, during the return journey at Oji River axis, this reporter encountered a huge traffic at a checkpoint manned by mobile police operatives, but despite being cleared, the huge traffic ahead continued until it was ascertained that this was as a result of traffic caused by an army checkpoint ahead, which overflowed down to another police checkpoint.

Commuters, who spoke to decried the frustration they faced on the road everyday.

According to Mr Okoro, a mass transit driver, whose lamentation was seen above, the confidence with which the security operatives block the roads and return to their cubicles, leaving errand boys to attend to motorists is what annoys him most.

For Mr Celestine Ugwunnwa, a passenger in Okoro’s bus, he is more concerned that as uncomfortable and hot as the bus is, the driver can never speed up to ease the discomfort of the passengers, as he has to keep applying brakes from one checkpoint to another.

“It is true that there is insecurity, but is this the best way to police the zone? Do we have to be punished so hard, before we can be policed? See how they just blocked the road. They are not conducting any checks so long as they get money from their errand boys who are working for them.

“The only time they come out is when those boys report to them that a driver refused to give money, or when they hear the sound of a siren, showing that a big man is coming. This is too bad,” he lamented.

A staff of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, who spoke to DAILY POST, said: “You people who are journalists, you need to write about the trouble we face to get to the office every day.

“Just from Awka to Unizik in Agu Awka, you meet Civil Defense, Road Safety, police and Navy. You people should ask what business the Navy has on our roads? Those navy people you see at Stanel Filling Station are people who were enlisted to guard that property, but instead of guarding the business place, they block the road and collect money from motorists. Is that how to provide security?

In December 2022, Anambra State Deputy Governor, Dr Onyekachi Ibezim had a major clash with military personnel at a roadblock at Amansea, an Anambra community that shares a common border with Enugu State.

Ibezim saw a long traffic of vehicles held at the checkpoint. The traffic was those of holiday makers, who were coming home from various places for the Christmas celebration. He immediately ordered the dismantling of the roadblocks and opening of the road for free flow of traffic.

The incident which happened during the yuletide quickly eased off traffic, but shortly after, the checkpoint resurfaced, and the operatives became even more daring.

As the yuletide commences, many believe that with the penchant of Igbo people to come home for Christmas, this period may just be another boom for security operatives who man checkpoints across the South East.

There are several questions as to the efficacy of the security tactics adopted by security agents in tackling the insecurity in the South East, and just as Celestine Ugwunnwa, a passenger questioned, it is believed that there should be a better way to tackle the insecurity in the South east, other than roadblocks, which can be seen as policing to punish.