Army, Police recruit children to collect tolls from drivers in S’East—Ohanaeze
The President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo has given an embarrassing graphic scenario of how Nigeria Army officials and Policemen on roadblocks across the South East highways deploy corrupt little children to be collecting tolls from them to avoid being caught.
Speaking at the recent Southeast security summit organised by Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu, in Enugu, aggrieved Nwodo lamented that the situation had become so bad that, “Army and police officers now recruit little children who collect tolls from drivers for them while they are busy playing draft.”
The socio-cultural leader had earlier raised worries on the multiple checkpoints in the area, saying the scenario is not only creating tension, but makes us believe that we are under checks more than any other region in the country.
Several studies has shown that check points in the zone have no match in terms of numbers as everyone km on highways is occupied by either army or police even more than the North East where Boko Haram is holding sway.
Nwod further appealed to the police hierarchy to conscientiously re-examine its posting policies that had “ensured that Igbo officers are not allowed to head commands in the south East zone.
According to him, the separatist practice had continued to create the impression that Igbo officers in the force were not good enough to be entrusted wit
Also presenting his findings on behalf of the religious leaders, Archbishop, Enugu Ecclesiastical Province, Most Revd. Emmanuel Chukwuma, lamented the destruction and displacement created in the zone by marauding Fulani herdsmen branding AK47 rifles.
In his submission, “They have continued to kidnap our priests; our farmlands are not safe anymore. They kill people in their homes and cause all manner of problems in the name of cow rearing. We are no longer comfortable with the development and we are asking the Federal Government to declare them terrorists. They have terrorised us enough. A time shall come when we will say no to this level of provocation in the South East zone,” the cleric averred.
