Xmas: House Tells Security Agencies to Dismantle Multiple Checkpoints on Lagos, Abuja – S’East Road
police checkpoint.. Credit The Punch Newspaper
*Checkpoints identified as tollgates for extortion
By Our Reporter
The House of Representatives on Thursday called on the security agencies to dismantle multiple security checkpoints on the road from Lagos and Abuja to the South East.
According to the House Representatives, this will address the pains and hardship that motorists and passengers have been facing on the road.
The lawmakers said this will help in free flow of traffic during the Christmas period.
The House also said the checkpoints at the Head Bridge Onitsha, Anambra state should equally be disbanded with the Federal Road Safety Commission being deployed to ensure free flow of traffic.
In a motion moved by Hon. Obinna Chidoka, the House also called on the Ministry of Works and Housing to remove the abandoned makeshift road blocks which the security agencies are using as checkpoints.
The House urged the security agencies to cooperate with one another while carrying out their duties.
Chidoka said the heavy traffic on the roads have been caused by different checkpoints mounted by Nigerian Police Force, the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Customs, NDLEA and others.
He said that the checkpoints were simply tollgates by these security men, adding that the traffic build-up was always too much.
He said, “These multiple makeshift checkpoints, coupled with the terrible condition of roads in question caused unnecessary traffic buildup on the roads with untold hardship on road users and creating room for criminals to perpetrate their nefarious activities. These checkpoints set up with used tires, timber and metal barricades are often left on the roads and highways, when not in use, thereby creating hazards for unsuspecting motorists especially at night thereby causing accidents, and in some cases, used by armed robbers who rob and terrorizes road users at odd hours.
“Having in mind that the Christmas and New Year holidays are ahead of us and movements on these roads will increase exponentially with citizens traveling to celebrate with their loved ones in their village. Alarmed that less than 10 days to Christmas the Asaba end of the Head Bridge is already blocked with checkpoints constituting terror and nuisance to motorist causing motorists who flew one hour to Asaba or drove five to six hours from Lagos and Abuja to spend upwards of 7 hours just to cross the Niger Bridge.”
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