Ohanaeze Unveils Disturbing Trend: Roadblocks In S’East Used For Extortion, Not Security

Ohanaeze Unveils Disturbing Trend: Roadblocks In S’East Used For Extortion, Not Security

In a startling revelation, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo has raised alarm over the alarming surge in roadblocks across the South-East, asserting that security operatives are exploiting these checkpoints to extort money from unsuspecting motorists….CONTINUE READING

Expressing deep concern at the 2024 General Assembly in Awka, Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene, Vice President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, decried the misuse of roadblocks by security personnel donned in various uniforms. Instead of ensuring security, these checkpoints have transformed into hotspots for extorting money from the public, Okeke-Ogene lamented.

Highlighting a particularly egregious example, he pointed to the Onitsha to Ekwulobia road, where over 10 roadblocks were allegedly being utilized for extortion, extracting various sums of money from motorists based on the time of day.

Okeke-Ogene emphasized that the funds collected through these illicit roadblocks could have been sufficient to finance the construction of a third Niger Bridge in the region.

In a nod to the historical context, he reminded attendees that organizations like ASATU emerged during times of hardship, where people faced harassment, intimidation, and extortion under military rule.

The Ohanaeze leader called for renewed efforts to combat this escalating issue, asserting, “The level of extortions at these roadblocks is enough to build a third Niger Bridge. We must continue to fight against it.”

As the region grapples with this unsettling trend, Ohanaeze Ndigbo sends a strong message against the misuse of roadblocks and calls for decisive action to curb the illicit activities affecting the motoring public in the South-East.