Coalition of South East Youth Leaders wants checkpoints removed from across the southeeast

IGBO young people's umbrella body the Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (Coseyl) has called for the removal of all security checkpoints across the southeast geo-political zone as they are nothing but extortion centres.

According to the coalition, all the military checkpoints on southeast roads have been turned to a place where innocent Nigerians are subjected to different degrees of inhuman treatment for failing to pay bribes. Goodluck Ibem, the Coseyl president, issued the call following what he called the dehumanisation of motorists by Nigerian soldiers at checkpoints across the southeast.

Mr Ibem said: “Trucks are forced to pay as high as N2,000 to N3,000 per truck, while buses pay N500 to N1000, and cars pay N200 to N500 depending on the soldiers’ mood. We demand the immediate dismantling of all military checkpoints and roadblocks on southeast roads because they have outlived their purpose.

“We demand the immediate arrest and prosecution of those soldiers involved in the collection of bribes on our roads which have helped to destroy the security of the zone.”

He added that the roadblocks do not even provide the security they are supposed to, as insecurity currently rages across the southeast. Apart from the fact that armed Fulani herdsmen are running riot across the southeast, local vigilante group the Eastern Security Network is also involved in criminal activities.