-Petitions Chief Of Defence Staff, Others
The Igbo National Congress world wide INC, has called on the Chief of Defence Staff CDS and Heads of other security agencies in the country to call on their operatives to desist from the unlawful extortion, harassment and intimidation of motorists and other road users in the South East geopolitical zone.
The group, in an open letter they addressed to Defense Headquarters, Mohammadu Buhari Way, Garki, FCT Abuja Nigeria with the caption, “RE: PETITION AGAINST THE UNLAWFUL EXTORTION OF MOTORISTS AND WANTON HUMILIATION OF CIVILIAN PASSENGERS AND ROAD USERS BY SECURITY OPERATIVES SERVING IN SOME JOINT TASKFORCE / MILITARY CHECKPOINTS AND OUTPOSTS IN SOUTH EAST REGION OF NIGERIA”, said, “the Igbo National Council (INC) Worldwide is the vanguard grass root mass based membership organization of the Igbo Race and Igbo Nation committed to the defense and protection of the Fundamental Human Rights of Citizens. INC was established in Nigeria since 2012.
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 Taskforce / Military Checkpoints / Outposts in the five states of South East Region of Nigeria.
By the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Act Establishing the armed forces and other security agencies of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we understand that the primary role of the Joint Taskforce / Military Checkpoints / Outposts wherever they are located in Nigeria is to provide security for the protection of lives, properties and livelihood of the people inhabiting that communities and localities including the maintenance of law and order.
Contrary to the above, security operatives serving in some of the under listed JTF / Military Checkpoints / Outposts in the five states of the South East Region of Nigeria has 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 believing that the law cannot catch up with them. This act of intimidation and extortion of commercial bus and lorry drivers and the humiliation of civilian passengers on these checkpoints is alarming, embarrassing and unacceptable to the Laws and people of South East Region of Nigeria. In some of these Joint Taskforce / Military Checkpoints civilian passengers are asked to come down from their vehicles and trek a distance to cross the checkpoint before re-entering their vehicles to continue their journey. This humiliation of Nigeria citizens is carried out not minding if it was raining or scorching. 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 sign of surrender, while motorcyclists are ordered to roll their motorcycle to cross the checkpoint. Another unlawful and unacceptable act by these security operatives is the arbitrary search of some passengers’ phone ‘Mostly Youths’ without search warrant, even when these persons are not under arrest.
In view of the above, we wish to state, that this actions contravenes Section 34, and Section 217(2)(C) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as Amended 2018”.
The INC, in the letter where they meticulously listed all the military checkpoints in the South east where citizens are harassed, intimidated and taken advantage of, further said, our study has shown that, many citizens and community persons inhabiting these localities find it very difficult to properly relate and share vital intelligence with these security operatives, which could have helped them discharge their duties effectively on the fight against bandits, armed robbers, kidnappers and other criminal elements terrorizing those localities. The reason is that people feel that the conducts of these military personnel is repressive and unfriendly to the civilian folks. Another observation is that they seem to concentrate more on collecting money from some commercial motorists rather than concentrating on surveillance and provision of adequate security for road users.
We therefore, request that the Nigeria Defence Headquarters set-up a Taskforce or Monitoring Team to investigate and monitor the activities of the various Joint Taskforce/Military Checkpoints and Outposts located in South East Region of Nigeria.
We also demand the arrest and prosecution of any Security Operatives at Joint Taskforce/Military Checkpoints caught violating the Fundamental Human Rights of Citizens or found forcefully extorting money from commercial bus and lorry drivers.
We request that Security Operatives serving at Joint Taskforce / 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 is increasing activities of banditry and kidnappings in the region.
We request that an end to the extortion of commercial bus drivers, the humiliation of civilian passengers and searching of road users’ phones without search warrant at some of these Joint Taskforce / Military Checkpoints in South East Region of Nigeria.
We are aware that 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 or Joint Taskforce.
Finally, we pledge our unalloyed support to the Nigerian Military that committed and dedicated to their expedition to combat criminalities and provide effective security for the protection of lives, properties and livelihood of the people and residence of South East Region of Nigeria.
Find attached are the list of the Joint Taskforce / Military Checkpoints and Outposts that we have been able to identify in our mapping exercise”.
