Inspector-General of Police"by" Force
LINK The Nation
Xmas road blocks
One of the problems that will not go away in Nigeria is corruption. Perhaps nowhere is this more exhibited than on our roads and highways. In spite of the vociferous complaints about policemen’s extortion of money from innocent vehicle owners on a daily basis, the rate of extortion is increasing daily. Several times the Inspector-General of Police (IG) had issued orders to state commissioners of police to stop this illegal act, to no avail.
The situation has become so bad that vehicle owners have devised a means of placing a curse on the N20 they hand to the police but they are not deterred by this dreaded phenomenon of curse or imprecation.
Now Christmas is approaching. A trip from Ile-Ife to Ibadan or Ile-Ife to Akure, for instance, which takes about 50 minutes and one hour, respectively, now takes about two to two-and-a-half hours, respectively. This is so because the police, in order to make sure that vehicles stop for them to collect N20 or more from each vehicle owner, now erect huge road blocks with heavy woods and empty drums at every two kilometres. About two weeks ago, commuters ran into a heavy hold-up caused by the police road blocks at the outskirts of Ibadan. One side of the road was completely blocked with heavy woods and empty drums so that no vehicle could pass the policemen without stopping for them to collect the illegal toll.
It was only when the hold-up was becoming embarrassing that they partially removed the drums, leaving the woods, to allow uncomfortable passage. This ugly show carried out daily all over the country is very embarrassing to a nation already reeling in official corruption. Yet, it is not that the government and the police hierarchy are not aware of the ceaseless complaints about extortion of money by policemen on our highways which, ordinarily, should not be blocked under any circumstances. This is why highways are free ways. The extortion of money is even more severe on ‘Trunk B’ roads where policemen would block the roads completely until money is given to them as they menacingly brandish their guns. Some of them even kill those who refuse to give them money.
The question now is: why have the police taken over the legitimate duties of officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) who are more concerned about safety on the roads and highways by arresting traffic offenders and sometimes warning them about the consequences of dangerous driving? As for the policemen, many dangerous drivers will go free as long as they dole out some money which they openly collect without fear or shame.
We cannot count the number of occasions when trailers ran into many vehicles that were stopped by policemen at check-points. One of the most serious cases happened at Ile-Ife toll gate years ago when a trailer ran into many vehicles which had been stopped by the policemen. More than 100 people were burnt to death on the spot, including a newly wedded couple. The policemen ran away. That is the usual pattern after the policemen had caused unnecessary accidents involving lives. Unfortunately, this scenario continues unabated while our leaders and the police hierarchy look helplessly on.
Christmas is around the corner, and the corrupt policemen are looking for extra money by all means. Now, some pertinent questions: can the police continue to extort money from people on our roads and highways as they do if the IGP is favourably disposed to stopping their monstrous and shameful activity? Let the IGP answer this question now before more people are killed on our roads and highways now that the Christmas season (when the police make huge sum of money from extortions) is here with us. The IGP should hold state police commissioners responsible for extortions carried out in their territories and enforce strict compliance now if we are to get out of the mess.
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