The Abia State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has called on the Nigerian Army high command to take appropriate measures to end “dehumanization of travelers” along the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway.
The council made this call in a 12-point communique it issued at the end of its congress for the month of November, noting that travelling between Umuahia and Enugu has become an agonizing and time-consuming experience. In the communiqué, which was signed by the State Council Chairman, Mr. Victor Ndukwe, and Secretary, Ms. Adaeze Ralph-Igbokwe, the state council said that it was appalled by the untoward activities of soldiers on Southeast highways.
It described a situation where passengers in commercial vehicles are forced to disembark and trek across army checkpoint for no justifiable reason as sheer humiliation and dehumanization. “Congress condemns in very strong terms, the ongoing humiliation and dehumanization of commuters at some Army checkpoints on Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway,” the communique said.
Apart from the army checkpoint at the NNPC mega station Umuahia, other notorious check points are located inside Enugu State axis of the expressway, including the checkpoints at Ugwulesi, Akinukwa both in Awgu, Nenwe, Agbogugu and Ituku. It urged the state governments in the South-east zone “to prevail on the military authorities to review the practice which has been generating public condemnation.” the security situation in Abia, the council acknowledged the “efforts of the state government and security agencies in the fight against insecurity in Abia.”
It expressed support for the Abia State Government on the “bold steps” it took to sanities the Umuchieze Cattle Market, noting that insecurity has significantly reduced in Umunneochi axis. The Abia NUJ urged the state government not yield to any pressure to rescind its decision to convert the cattle market to non-residential general market to checkmate criminal activities.
However, the union noted “with concern, the rising cases of robbery and burglary, especially within Umuahia metropolis, urging security agencies to rise to the occasion” to ensure peaceful yuletide. It commended the police authorities in Abia for the decline in extortion of motorists by its personnel on the roads. It, however, expressed “worry over the disturbing rate of extortion at military check-points at various roads in parts of the state” and called on the military hierarchy in Abia “to halt such corrupt tendencies.”
