Members of the House of Representatives have demanded that the Onitsha-Enugu motorway’s checkpoint count be lowered.
On Thursday, December 5, the lawmakers made the demand after a resolution of the motion, sponsored by Amobi Ogah, the representative of the Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency in Abia state, was adopted.
In his motion, Ogah called on Nigerian security forces to investigate possible harassment and extortion incidents on this specific highway.
Although it is only 105 kilometers from Onitsha to Enugu, he claimed that security personnel on the route regularly subject drivers and tourists to “unnecessary harassment.”
He added that the operators are primarily interested in extorting and harassing drivers at the roughly 28 checkpoints on the aforementioned road.
According to him, “the installation of multiple checkpoints along the expressway directly insults the dignity of the people, particularly in the South-East, and violates the constitutional rights of Nigerian citizens to free movement as guaranteed by Section 41 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).”
“The House is concerned that these security checkpoints are seen as harassment tools, and that citizens are frequently coerced into paying bribes, which has a detrimental effect on socioeconomic life by raising transportation costs, creating delays, and discouraging economic activity.”
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Ogah said these checkpoints are unnecessary and bemoaned Nigeria’s handling of security concerns throughout.
Following Ogah’s filing, Lagos State legislator James Faleke criticized the bill’s title. The Southeast faces a number of security issues, he added, and the House ought to be more engaged in finding solutions to lessen the extortion and harassment that security personnel cause.
The House ordered the Defense, Army, and Police Affairs committee to consult with the Service Chiefs and the Inspector General of Police in order to investigate alternative security measures that do not inflict hardship on individuals or infringe upon their constitutional rights.
Additionally, it demanded communication with the Federal Road Safety Corps’ Corps Marshal to guarantee that the quantity of checkpoints on the roadways is controlled.
