GROUP LISTS 98 SECURITY CHECKPOINTS, SPREAD ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST
Written by darling on September 2, 2024
Igbo National Council (INC) Worldwide recently listed about 98 security checkpoints allegedly, existing in the five states of the South East geo-political zone.
The group’s alleging fingers pointed at the direction of security operatives, accusing them of being responsible for extortion of money from motorists, incessant harassment of citizens and unwanted distance trekking of commuters with their hands up at the security checkpoints.
In a press statement issued by its National Coordinator, Chilos Godsent, he revealed that Abia State topped the list with 37 checkpoints followed by Imo State with 23 checkpoints.
It went further, stating that Anambra and Enugu States have 15 checkpoints each and Ebonyi State at the time of this report was as low as 8 checkpoints.
The press statement said that the research was carried out by the directorate of human rights protection, a research department of the council with the mandate of checking human rights violations by various security outfits in the region.
It further stated that the council was propelled to embark on the task following a series of reports from members of the public on the humiliations they were encountering in the hands of the security personnel on a daily basis.
Godsent further stated in the press statement that some of the checkpoints are manned by a joint task force, comprising the military, police and civil defense, while at some blockades it will be either the military or the police.
He stated that even though the group was not happy with the rate of insecurity in the region, the security operatives should carry out their operations with human face.
The group pointed out that if the security personnel kept to rules of their professional engagement, it would build a healthy relationship between them and the civilians who also have responsibility of helping the security outfits in the fight against criminalities.
