In the petition, the INC demanded immediate action against the alleged extortion and humiliation of motorists and other civilian road users by security operatives at Joint Task Force/Military Checkpoints/Outposts across the five states of the South-East region of Nigeria.
The Igbo National Council (INC) Worldwide has submitted a petition to the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa.
In the petition, the INC demanded immediate action against the alleged extortion and humiliation of motorists and other civilian road users by security operatives at Joint Task Force/Military Checkpoints/Outposts across the five states of the South-East region of Nigeria.
The INC in the petition signed by its President, Chilos A.C. Godsent, and obtained by SaharaReporters on Tuesday, identified 90 security checkpoints across the South-East region among which the Council said people of the region have experienced several extortions and humiliations by police, military and other security operatives.
“With all sense of dismay and pains in our heart, we are compelled to bring to your knowledge the ongoing unconstitutional and unacceptable acts by security operatives serving in some of the Joint Task Force/Military Checkpoints/Outposts in the five states of the South-East Region of Nigeria,” it said.
The Council noted that by the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Act Establishing the Armed Forces and other security agencies of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it is understood that the primary role of the Joint Task Force/Military Checkpoints/Outposts wherever they are located in Nigeria is to provide security for the protection of lives, properties and livelihood of the people in the communities and localities including the maintenance of law and order.
However, the INC stated, “Contrary to the above, security operatives serving in some of the JTF/Military Checkpoints/Outposts in the five states of the South-East Region of Nigeria have turned these checkpoints and outposts into illegal tollgates and humiliation points against civilian road users. The worst of it is that they carry out these acts with impunity.
“This act of intimidation and extortion of commercial bus and lorry drivers and the humiliation of civilian passengers on these checkpoints is alarming.”
The group said civilian passengers are sometimes humiliated and asked to get down from their vehicles and trek some distance.
It said, “In some of these checkpoints they go a long way to order civilian passengers to raise their two hands while trekking to cross the checkpoint which is a sign of surrender, while motorcyclists are ordered to roll their motorcycle to cross the checkpoint.
“Another act is the arbitrary search of some passengers’ phones without a search warrant, even when these persons are not under arrest.
“In view of the above, we wish to state that this action contravenes Section 34, and Section 217(2)(C) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as Amended 2018.”
The INC stated that from their study, they discovered that many citizens and community persons in these localities find it extremely difficult to properly relate and share vital intelligence with the security operatives.
In its requests, the INC said, “We request that the Defence Headquarters set up a Taskforce or Monitoring Team to investigate and monitor the activities of the various Joint Task Force/Military Checkpoints and Outposts located in the South-East Region of Nigeria.
“We request for the arrest and prosecution of any Security Operatives at Joint Task Force/Military Checkpoints found and violating the Fundamental Human Rights of Citizens or found forcefully extorting money from commercial bus drivers.
“We request that Security Operatives serving at Joint Task Force/Military Checkpoint or Outposts in South-East Region focus more on intelligence gathering, surveillance and tactical operations in other to combat criminalities and provide effective security for the protection of lives and properties of the people in that locality more especially now there are increasing activities of banditry and kidnappings in the region.
“We request the stoppage of the forceful extortion of commercial bus drivers, the humiliation of civilian passengers and searching of individual phones without search warrant at some of these Joint Task Force/Military Checkpoints in the South-East Region of Nigeria.
“We are aware that the South East Region of Nigeria is not a conquered territory and is not at war with the Nigerian State and therefore should not be subjected to any form of inhumane treatment or humiliation by the Nigeria Military.”
The group listed the 90 checkpoints where people are harassed by the military and Joint Task Force as follows:
1. PDS Anara - Amaraku Road in Isiala Mbano
LGA Imo State
2 Akachi Junction, Aba - Owerri Expressway,
Naze, Owerri North LGA Imo State
3 Umuowa by Imo Airport Junction, Aba -
Owerri Expressway, Umuowa, Ngor-Okpala
LGA Imo State
4 Ugwu Orji along Owerri - Onitsha
Expressway, by Umunoha junction, Mbaitoli
LGA Imo State
5 Ogii-Isiokwe along Okigwe/Umuahia
express road, Okigwe LGA. Imo State
6 Umualumoke junction, Ugwuaku Road,
along Okigwe-Umuahia express road,
Okigwe LGA. Imo State
7 Nunya junction along Okigwe-Umuahia
express road, Isuikwuato LGA Abia State
8 Ubahu, opp. Camp Faith Ubahu, Okigwe
LGA, Imo State
9 Okigwe-Uturu junction, along ABSU road,
Okigwe LGA Imo State
10 Beside ABSU gate Uturu, Isuikwuato LGA
Abia State
11 Acha junction, along Mile 2 and before mile
2 junction Ivo LGA, Ebonyi State.
12 Amawel junction, Ubomini Town along
Owerri - Orlu Road Mbaitoli LGA, Imo State
13 Front of Abbott Boys Secondary School,
along Owerri - Onitsha Expressway, Ihiala
LGA, Anambra State
14 Opposite Nkwerre Local Government
Council Headquarters, Nkwerre LGA Imo
State
15 Umuikkaa Junction along Aba-Enugu
Expressway Ishiala Ngwa South LGA Abia
State
16 Imo River Bridge, Owerrinta along Aba-
Owerri Road Ishiala Ngwa South LGA, Abia
State
17 Awkuzu/Nteje Junction along Enugu -
Onitsha Expressway, Anambra State
18 Amansea/Ugwuoba Enugu -Onitsha old
Road, Awka South LGA, Anambra State
19 3 Corner Junction, Amagunze, Nkanu East
LGA, Enugu State
20 New Kenyetta along Enugu - Okigwe
Expressway Ugwuaji LGA Enugu State
21 Tonimas Junction behind BICOZ Fast Food
along Aba-Enugu Expressway Osisioma
LGA, Abia State
22 Ituku Military Check Point along Enugu -
Okigwe Expressway, Ituku Isuawa, Agwu
LGA, Enugu State
23 Otu Amechi Agbani Link Road, Enugu
South LGA, Enugu State
24 Umuogba Ihe along Enugu - Okigwe
Expressway, Agwu LGA, Enugu State
25 Nnenwe Junction along Enugu - Okigwe
Expressway, Agwu LGA, Enugu State
26 Agwu Mgbowo Aki na Ukwa Junction along
Enugu -Okigwe Expressway, Agwu LGA,
Enugu State
27 Abia - Enugu Boundary, along Enugu -
Okigwe Expressway
28 Better Life Junction along Enugu -Okigwe
Expressway, Abia State
29 Eluama - Isiukwuano beside Common
Wealth Hotels Isiukwuano LGA, Abia State
30 Front of Ehime Mbano Local Government
Council Headquarters along Aba Branch -
Umuahia Road, Umuezeala, Ehime Mbano
LGA Imo State
31 Ohafia/ Nguzu Junction, Abriba - Ohafia
Road, Ohafia LGA, Abia State.
32 Army Check Point Udi, Four Corner, Nkanu
East LGA Enugu State
33 Army Check Point Amodu, Nkanu West
LGA, Enugu State
34 Military Check Point adjacent to Timber
Market, along Orlu - Owerri Road, Orlu LGA,
Imo State
35 Ekeahiara Junction, Ahiazu Mbaise LGA,
Imo State
36 Umulolo junction along Port Harcourt -
Enugu Expressway, Okigwe LGA, Imo State
37 Ihube Junction along Enugu - Port Harcourt
Expressway, Okigwe LGA, Imo State
38 Ihube Cashew Plantation, along Enugu -
Port Harcourt Expressway, Okigwe LGA,
Imo State
39 Ihube/Isuochi Boundary along, Enugu - Port
Harcourt Expressway, Okigwe LGA, Imo
State
40 Limca Junction by FGC, along Enugu - Port
Harcourt Expressway, Okigwe LGA, Imo
State
41 Army Check Point, adjacent to the House of
the Rt. Hon. Speaker of FHR, along
Umuahia - Ohafia - Bende Road, Ohafia
LGA, Abia State
42 JTF Check Point at Isugwu Junction, Akanu,
Ohafia LGA, Abia State
43 JTF Check Point at Idima Abam Road,
Arochukwu LGA, Abia State
44 Army Checking Point at Front of Ohafia
Local Government Council Headquarters,
Ohafia LGA, Abia State
45 Army Checking Point beside the gate of 46 Army Check Point at Iyi Omenuko Bridge, Ohafia Federal Government College, Ohafia
LGA, Abia State
Ozu Abam, Arochukwu LGA, Abia State
47 Military Check Point Unuapu, along Owerri -
Port Harcourt Expressway, Ohaji Egemba
LGA, Imo State
48 Military Check Point Mgbirichi - Obinze
Boundary, along Owerri - Port Harcourt
Expressway, Ohaji Egemba LGA, Imo State
49 Army Check Point by Umuokanne Junction,
along Owerri - Port Harcourt Expressway
Owerri West LGA, Imo State
50 Army Check Point opposite Emmanuel
Anglican Church Mgbidi, along Owerri -
Onitsha Expressway, Oru West LGA, Imo
State
51 Army Check Point opposite Primary School
by St. Theresa's Catholic Church, Uli, Ihiala
LGA, Anambra State
52 Naval Check Point at Awkuzu Junction
along Awka - Onitsha Road Expressway,
Anambra State
53 Army Check Point by ICC Awka, along
Amansea, old Awka Road, Awka South
LGA, Anambra State
54 JTF Military Check Point at Ekwulobia -
Isufia Road, Aguata LGA, Anambra State
55 Oko - Umunze Road, Orumba North LGA,
Anambra State
56 Nanka - Agulu Road by Rock Tamar
Junction, Nanka, Orumba North LGA,
Anambra State
57 Opposite Aguata Local Government Council
Headquarters, Ekwulobia - Aguluezechukwu
Road, Aguata LGA, Anambra State
58 Military Check Point at Imo - Rivers
Boundary, Ukwa West LGA, Abia State
59 Military Check Point by China Civil
Construction Company (CCCC) gate along
Port Harcourt - Aba Expressway, Ukwa
West LGA
60 Military Check Point at Oil Serve Junction
along Port Harcourt - Aba Expressway,
Ukwa West LGA, Abia State
61 Military Check Point by Primemoore Filling
Station along Port Harcourt - Aba
Expressway, Ukwa West LGA, Abia State
62 Military Check Point at Imo Gate Flyover by
Old Obigbo Road, Port Harcourt - Aba
Expressway, Ukwa West LGA, Abia State
63 Military Check Point by Chippings Dump
along Port Harcourt - Aba Expressway,
Ukwa West LGA, Abia State
64 Military Check Point opposite Coral Gold
Filling Station along Port Harcourt - Aba
Expressway, Ukwa West LGA, Abia State
65 Military Check Point by China Steel
Company Gate along Port Harcourt - Aba
Expressway, Ukwa West LGA, Abia State
66 Military Check Point by 144 Battalion
Nigerian Army, at former Asa High School
Junction along Port Harcourt - Aba
Expressway Ukwa West LGA, Abia State
67 Military Check Point by Nwaiyiekwe
Junction along, Port Harcourt - Aba
Expressway, Ukwa West LGA, Abia State
68 Military Check Point by Ihe Junction along
Port Harcourt - Aba Expressway,
Ugwunagbo LGA, Abia State
69 Military Check Point at the Front of EEDC
Gate along Port - Aba Harcourt Expressway
Ugwunagbo LGA, Abia State
70 Military Check Point at Alaoji Motor Spare
Parts Market, Asa Nnentu, along Port
Harcourt - Aba Expressway, Ugwunagbo
LGA Abia State
71 Military Check Point at Uratta Building
Materials/ Onion Market along Port Harcourt
- Aba Expressway, Ugwunagbo LGA, Abia
State
72 JTF Check Point by Faulks Road/ Ariara
Junction along Port Harcourt - Aba
Expressway, Osisioma LGA, Abia State
73 Military Base at Ariam Usaka, Ikwuano LGA,
Abia State
74 JTF Check Point Ahia-Ohuru Aba South
LGA, Abia State
75 JTF Check Point Ngwa Road by Cemetery,
Abia South LGA, Abia State
76 JTF Check Point Emelogu junction Ogbor
Hill, Aba South LGA, Abia State
77 JTF Check Point Obikabo Junction Ogbor
Hill, Aba South LGA, Abia State
78 JTF Check Point Opopo Junction Ogbor Hill,
Aba South LGA, Abia State
79 Military Check Point Onusorogu Junction
Amichi Nnewi along Oba-Nnewi-Amichi-
Okigwe Road Nnewi South LGA, Anambra
State
80 Military Checkpoint Egbema Production
Center (NPDC) Egbema, Ohaji-Egbena
LGA, Imo State
81 Military Checkpoint at Uzuakoli by Ozuitem
Road Junction, Bende LGA, Abia State
82 Military Checkpoint at Urban Market along
Umuahia - Uzuakoli Road, Bende LGA, Abia
State
83 Military Checkpoint at Uga Junction Ogbaru
LGA, Anambra State
84 Military Checkpoint at Ugwuonyeama,
Enugu North LGA, Enugu State
85 Military Checkpoint at Ntigh Junction along
Port Harcourt - Enugu Expressway, Isiala
86 Military Checkpoint at Arongwa Junction
along Port Harcourt - Enugu Expressway, Ngwa North LGA, Abia State Osisioma LGA, Abia State
87 Military Checkpoint at Ihieoji, along Port
Harcourt - Enugu Expressway Road, Isiala
Ngwa North LGA, Abia State
88 Air Force Checkpoint by NAF Base along
Trans-Ekulu, Enugu East LGA, Enugu State
89 Military Check Point in front of Peace
University, along Enugu - Opi Road, Igbo-
Etiti LGA, Enugu State
90 Military Check Point Iheaka, along Enugu -
Makurdi Road, Igbo - Eze LGA, Enugu State