Please IG, bring back our roadblocks

It may be recalled that the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim K. Idris, recently ordered the police to dismantle all roadblocks on highways nationwide before the end of the year. Some Nigerians have viewed the order as a welcome development in view of the unpleasant incidents of extortion and extra-judiciary killing of civilians by trigger-happy […]

It may be recalled that the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim K. Idris, recently ordered the police to dismantle all roadblocks on highways nationwide before the end of the year. Some Nigerians have viewed the order as a welcome development in view of the unpleasant incidents of extortion and extra-judiciary killing of civilians by trigger-happy police officers manning roadblocks. Other Nigerians, however, see the order as untimely due to the rampant cases of insecurity bedevilling the country.  Infractions on the part of few policemen on our highways, nonetheless, help trigger fears   about the safety of road users.

Even men of the underworld become jittery whenever they see roadblocks manned the police.

While the removal of roadblocks may temporarily ease traffic congestion and corruption being witnessed on our highways, it would certainly make our roads more vulnerable to criminal activities like armed robbery and kidnapping.

A former Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh, was killed by unknown gun men on his way from the farm Tuesday, months after General Idris Alkali was killed on his way to Bauchi. If our retired military officers could fall victims of these criminals, what would be the fate of ordinary Nigerians who ply our roads? Nigerians still need roadblocks.

 

Ibrahim Mustapha Pambegua, Kaduna State.