By Christiana Ekpa
The House of Representatives has asked the Inspector-General of Police and other heads of security agencies to immediately dismantle all roadblocks from Lagos and Abuja to the South-East geopolitical zone of the country.
The House equally urged all the security agencies to remove their multiple checkpoints on the roads leading to and from Lagos and Abuja to the South East region forthwith to facilitate the free flow of traffic, relief the pains and hardship of the motorist and other road users travelling to and from the South East region, especially during this festive period.
The House resolutions was as the results of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Hon Obinna Chidoka on the floor of the House on Thursday.
Hon. Chidika expressed grave concern over the activities of the various security personnel who mounted and left tyres, timber and metal barricades at various checkpoints set up during their operations, thereby causing avoidable accidents.
“I have dotted our roads, particularly the roads leading to the South-East States from Lagos and Abuja with used tires, timber and metal barricades resulting in avoidable traffic buildup on the roads and untold hardship to motorists and other road users, especially during festive periods.
“The House notes also that at last count, the roadblocks involving these security agencies between Lagos and Onitsha are an alarming 60 checkpoints, with 24 between llisan and Orilewo, 25 between Ore and Ugoneki and 11 between Abudu and Onitsha Bridgehead.
“The House further notes that these checkpoints constitute themselves into tollgates extorting money from innocent motorists while the crimes they are meant to checkmate still go on without remedy.
“The House is concerned that these multiple makeshift checkpoints, coupled with the terrible condition of roads in question cause unnecessary traffic buildup on the roads with untold hardship on road users and creating room for criminals to perpetrate their nefarious activities.
“The House is concerned also that 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 terrorises road users at odd hours.
“The House is further concerned that issues of the hardship suffered by motorists and other road users as a result of multiple checkpoints on the roads have been recurring over the years with no visible remedy by the authorities concerned especially with the peculiarity of this to roads leading to the South East.
“The House is having in mind that the Christmas and New Year holidays are ahead of us and movement on these roads increase exponentially with citizens travelling to celebrate with their loved ones in their villages.
“The House is 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 5 to 6 hours from Lagos and Abuja to spend upwards of 2 hours just to cross the Niger Bridge.
“The House is determined to address the plight of motorists and other road users on these roads who suffer daily from the avoidable and clearly unnecessary multiple checkpoints and which has caused untold hardship to all and to save lives,” he noted.
The lawmakers also mandated authorities of the Nigeria Police Force and related Agencies to immediately disband all checkpoints at the Head Bridge, and equally mandated the Federal Road Safety Commission to deploy men and materials to ensure free flow of traffic between Asaba and Onitsha.
The House also tasked the Security Agencies to collaborate with one another in the discharge of their responsibilities and avoid dissipation of resources as exemplified by the multiple checkpoints on the roads especially those leading to and from the South East region.
The House directed authorities of the Federal Ministry of Works and Power and the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency to remove all abandoned makeshift roadblocks used as checkpoints and debris from the roads and highways to facilitate the free flow of traffic on these roads.
In the bid to step up rescue operations during the festive period, the lawmakers called on Federal Road Safety Corps to position ambulances at major intersections along the roads and highways especially during this festive season to provide first aid to accident victims and evacuate them to the hospitals.
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