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Kaduna Relaxes Ban On Interstate Travel After Reports Of Extortion By Security Officials

The government said the security officials persistently extorted vehicles conveying essential goods, positing that the activities of the security officials at the state borders was jeorpadising the timely and cost-effective delivery of these essential goods.

The Kaduna State Government has been forced to relax its ban on interstate travel after being inundated with reports of extortions by security officials at the state borders.

The government announced this in a statement on Monday.

The government said the security officials persistently extorted vehicles conveying essential goods, positing that the activities of the security officials at the state borders was jeorpadising the timely and cost-effective delivery of these essential goods.

The government said, “The Kaduna State Government has directed the immediate removal of roadblocks at the various boundaries of the state. Barricades placed at the entry points are to be removed forthwith, while KDSG officials will no longer be posted for boundary patrols. 

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“The State Task Force on COVID-19 has reviewed the situation at the state boundaries as the state emerges from partial lockdown.

“Persistent extortion of vehicles conveying essential goods by some security officials is complicating an already challenging period.

“The ban of interstate travel by the FG as part of COVID-19 containment efforts has largely been observed in the breach by the people charged with enforcing it.

“The conduct of such officials is also jeopardising the timely and cost-effective delivery of essential goods.

“While insufficient to stop the influx of persons, deployment of senior KDSG officials to entry points was a necessary sacrifice to help reduce the chances of COVID-19 spread through interstate travel, despite lacklustre cooperation by security agencies in enforcing the ban.”

The Kaduna Government added that only roadblocks authorised within the state were those mounted to enforce the 8pm-5am curfew.