Why do policemen remain a nuisance on highways?

A constant traveller on the Kaduna-Abuja road will agree with me when I say policemen are a major nuisance during the journey. This is specifically about the two or sometimes three checkpoints on the new road which begins in Jere, all the way to Bwari. In the recent past, I was happy to hear the […]

A constant traveller on the Kaduna-Abuja road will agree with me when I say policemen are a major nuisance during the journey. This is specifically about the two or sometimes three checkpoints on the new road which begins in Jere, all the way to Bwari. In the recent past, I was happy to hear the new Inspector-General of Police declare the quashing of checkpoints popularly (and rightly) called ‘road blocks’. But up till today, some police officers have decided that it’s just window dressing. Let me state early here, that this is not an attempt to soil the image of the police force. I am simply a concerned citizen who wants the right thing to be done.
I continue: On the Jere-Bwari portion of the new Abuja road, there is a squad of policemen who till today carry out their usual ‘checkpoint business’. After the market at the junction where a motorist would turn to head towards Bwari, just before the new bridge being constructed, there is a group of policemen standing and practically begging motorists for money.
After them, there is another group, with a black pick-up truck which has a box-like cab with ‘highway patrol’ or so inscribed on both sides. These are actually the worst ones, as they ask motorists for their car’s documents and delay them, softening them up to give as much as three thousand naira so they can be on their way. These ones are particularly hostile and brazenly corrupt, openly demanding for ‘weekend money’ and the worst part being that they are mostly elderly in appearance but not in behaviour.
The Nigerian Police is filled with bad eggs, like every other sector, yes, but shouldn’t something be done to check this unprofessional behaviour on our highways? Aren’t highways just that: highways? Why should armed men – police or otherwise – obstruct free movement on federal roads, for God’s sake? What makes them different from armed robbers? Shouldn’t they be patrolling, fighting crime proactively, rather than reactively by harassing innocent motorists?
I should add, also, that when it is night-time, they vanish, as if in fear of the cover of darkness. In broad daylight, it is acceptable to mount check points and collect money, but at night because of the fear of the unknown, they retreat.
In closing, I repeat: this is not an attempt to rubbish the image of the police, among which there are many, many professional, upright and honest officers. I am merely pointing out the activities of bad eggs who would tear down the image of the force which should serve and protect Nigerians, not harass, intimidate or extort them. Therefore I would like to advise the Inspector-General to look into this whole checkpoint ‘wahala’ again, especially the Jere-Bwari road.
Simon, a businesswoman, wrote in from Sabon Tasha, Kaduna State