South East ‘Caged’ With 250 Roadblocks By Police, Army, Group Alleges
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A rights group, Coalition of Human Rights Organizations (SBCHROs), has accused the police and army of ‘caging’ the people of the South East with 250 roadblocks, especially in Anambra state.
The SBCHROs said the roadblocks on federal and state roads as well as the city roads, milk the people of at least N30,000 for each police roadblock per day; N7.5million daily from not less than 250 police roadblocks; N225million monthly and N2.7Billion per year.
In a press statement issued Thursday in Onitsha, Anambra state, leader of the coalition, Emeka Umeagbalasi, said the same facts and circumstances are applicable to Abia State; another major blue-collar state after Anambra, with its 250 police road blocks pocketing N2.7 billion per year.
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The group noted that Imo State has at least 200 police roadblocks to its name; with each police roadblock pocketing not less than N15,000 daily, N3Million for its 200 police roadblocks per day, N90million per month . N1.08Billion per annum.
But in a reaction, Anambra State Police Commissioner, Samuel Okaula dismissed the allegation, saying that the presence of the police on the highways in strategic parts of the state was aimed to scare the criminals along the roads, particularly this yuletide season.
There have been public outcry over the army’s Operation Python Dance in the region which has caused heavy vehicular traffic especially at the Onitsha Head Bridge in Anambra state.
