A human rights activist based in Imo State, Mazi Chukwuemeka Okoro, has bemoaned extortion of money on the road, bullying, harassment, intimidation and illegal arrest of innocent motorists both commercial and private on daily basis by security agents: army, police civil defense including road safety personnel.
He frowned that the anomalies are alarming in South East particularly in Imo State with government doing practically nothing to curb the menace on the road, saying the perpetrators of such anti social conduct do so with impunity because those who are to check them and call them to order are also outrageously corrupt hence lack the morality to stem the ugly tide which he said has been part of them.
While condemning the illicit activities of the security agents in Imo State, Okoro harped that it was wrong for those who are paid by government with public money to protect citizens, as well as ensure hitch- free traffic on the road in the state have turned up to be unfriendly towards motorists, motorcyclists and bickers who are law abiding, stating that “many motorists and passengers have been extra-judicially killed by security agents in the course of extorting them”.
The activist harped that “the extortion, harassment and bullying by security agents of innocent and helpless motorists, bikers and motorcyclists are causing serious panic, apprehension and fear in the state, pushing people to go on revolt in the streets. For lawlessness to be averted in the state by mass revolt, government should rise to the ugly occasion by constituting a committee comprising people of worth from religious, civil society groups, youth bodies, the academia, judiciary, legislature, executive, police, army, civil defense, road safety corps among others to critically and impartially check the illicit activities of some dubious security personnel on the roads across the state”.
Okoro, also advised motorists, motorcyclists to ensure that they obey traffic rules, as well as have their documents intact, saying with all these, the road users have the license to resist any extortion, intimidation, harassment and bullying by the security agents on the roads who are only stationed on the road for selfish reasons, rather than do proper security checks.
