Enugu-Ugwuogo-Opi-Nsukka road which is dreaded because of incessant kidnapping cases is now a money-making avenue by police operatives stationed along the route to stem the tide criminalities there.
THE WHISTLER, Tuesday, counted fifteen of such checkpoints, all manned by at least eight policemen each. The state-owned Forest Guards were also seen manning a checkpoint at Agu Ukehe in Igbo-Etiti LGA axis of the road.
“They are not joking,” the driver carrying our correspondent said. “This is my third trip today, and I have spent at least N3000. Before, we are made to pay once to operatives on a particular shift per checkpoint. When they change shifts, we pay again. But they now insist that we pay each time we pass. It is among the reasons why the transport fare is increasing.”
While police operatives were openly collecting their ‘levies’, and giving change accordingly, the military men were not collecting.
According to the driver, “Policemen have change anytime of the day. Even if you give them N1000 very early in the morning, don’t worry, they will give you change without stress.
“Soldiers stopped collecting about a week ago. They don’t disturb like before. I heard that there was an order to them not to collect any money from drivers. If you give them, they won’t reject, but they are far better than the police.
“Road safety officials is another problem that we face here. They now beg more than police personnel. They are gradually losing respect from us. It is very easy to arrest them if what we hear on radio is correct. The CP always says report those that demand bribe. He should tell his task force to enter buses and bear witnesses.”
Our correspondent reports that many checkpoints were created along the road early this year when kidnapping was becoming an everyday affair. Their presence, our findings show, has not proportionally abated the trend.
