Reps mandate IGP to remove all illegal checkpoints nationwide
The House of Representatives has ordered the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba to order the removal of illegal checkpoints set up by men of the Nigeria Police Force on roads across the country.
The House arrived at the resolution after considering a motion by the member representing Ihiala Federal Constituency of the state, Hon. Ifeanyi Momah at plenary on Wednesday.
In the motion titled “Need to Investigate Loss of so Many Lives Along the Onitsha-Owerri Express Road Within Ihiala Federal Constituency,” the lawmaker charged the military to relocate their checkpoints in the state to the border towns.
The Lower Chamber, however, asked the IGP to direct the commissioner of police in Anambra State to review the location of the police checkpoint in Ihiala to prevent further occurrence of such disaster especially during the festival season.
Momah disclosed that for over two years, the military and police checkpoints in lhiala Onitsha-Owerri Express Road have been operational to quell insecurity in the area, but the road users have since been subjected to devastating, degrading, and inhuman treatment occasioned by the operation of the military and police checkpoints in the area.
According to him, as a major express road, the negative impact of the military checkpoint has been grave on the community as well as road users.
He bemoaned that men, women, and children are forced to alight from their cars and raise their hands and pass through the checkpoint including nursing mothers and pregnant women.
Adopting the motion after securing the support of the majority of its members, the House mandated its committee on police affairs and legislative compliance to ensure compliance to the resolution.
