Group Gives FG 14-Day Ultimatum To Probe Security Check-Points On Southeast, Southsouth Roads
By UDO ONYEKA
Save Nigeria Freight Forwarders, Importers and Exporters Coalition has given the Federal Government 14 days to probe and reduce the number of security check-points on the roads in southern part of the country, especially in the Southeast and Southsouth.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday in Lagos, National Coordinator, Save Nigeria Freight Forwarders, Importers and Exporters Coalition, Chief Dr Osita Chukwu said the urgent government intervention on the number of check-points has become necessary due to the economic implication on the nation, extortion and human right abuses.
Chief Chukwu who said he personally counted the numbers of security check-points in his recent travel to Southeast and Southsouth, disclosed that he counted over 750 security check-points from Lagos to Benin express road through Delta to Enugu to Port Harcourt and then to Yenegoa in Bayelsa State.
He said the security points made up personnel of the armed forces, police, Civil Defence, Customs, Immigration among other security agencies have become a clog in the wheel of the nation’s economic progress.
According to the delay of human beings, goods and services at these check-points has economic implications.
He said though he was not against security checks, but the level of extortion and brutality being perpetrated by these officers have indicated that they were not there to secure citizens but to extort.
According to him we are not in a military regime, so it becomes confusing the number of soldiers on our roads, adding that with the outrageous number of security check-points criminal elements are still having a field day in these zones.
He also said the abuse of check-points have health implications.
” You know the country is still observing curfew from 6am to 10pm,due to COVID-19 pandemic, so because of the numerous check-points, many travellers are sometimes cut-up at the middle of their journey on the highway and the passengers are crowded in a place with total disregard to the health measures such as social distancing and hand washing.
“Some times perishable goods and agricultural products are delayed because the vehicles drivers could not afford what they were asked to pay.
” So we are calling on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency probe the activities of officers at these check-points. We are giving the Federal Government 14 days to address this situation and at the expiration of this ultimatum we will mobilise millions of Nigerians to protest this ‘occupation’ and illegal toll-gates in the name security check-points.
” The modern security operations are driven by technology and intelligence and not by blocking every inch of the road.
” We support the Government in its fight against criminality, but the security officers posted on our roads must be monitored so that the citizens and the economy are not destroyed “, Chukwu said.
