By Nwabueze Okonkwo

ONITSHA — Former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Idemili Branch, Mr. Benjamin Chukwudi Okoko, has called on the Federal Government to liberalise the ownership of arms and ammunition to enable law-abiding Nigerians defend themselves against bandits, gunmen and other criminal elements.

Reacting to the rising wave of insecurity across the country, Okoko urged the government to authorise responsible citizens to acquire firearms for self-defence.

According to him, such a measure would help citizens protect themselves and their communities from attacks by bandits and killer herders.

“Government should liberalise the ownership of arms and ammunition to enable Nigerians procure arms for self-defence against gunmen and bandits,” he said.

The former NBA chairman also decried the proliferation of checkpoints by security agencies on roads across the South-East, alleging that many had become avenues for extortion of motorists.

He called on the leadership of the affected agencies to rein in their personnel, warning that continued harassment and extortion of road users could provoke public backlash.

Okoko identified the military, police, Nigeria Customs Service, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and some vigilante groups as agencies frequently accused of operating multiple checkpoints in the region.

According to him, checkpoints initially emerged in the South-East as a security measure following the civil war, but have since expanded beyond their original purpose.

“Since after the civil war, the police, army and navy mounted roadblocks to stop mischief-makers and separatist groups. Recently, however, other law enforcement agencies and even some unarmed personnel have turned road checkpoints into a financial burden for motorists, particularly in the South-East,” he said.

He alleged that some officials use checkpoints as opportunities to extort money from commercial and private vehicle operators under the guise of routine security checks.

Okoko further criticised what he described as repeated inspections of cargo already cleared at seaports by customs officials, arguing that such practices create unnecessary delays and increase the cost of transportation and business operations.

“The constant checks on the roads waste valuable time for commuters and road users. They also contribute to economic losses through fuel consumption and delays in the movement of people and goods,” he said.

The legal practitioner urged authorities to review the deployment of security personnel on highways and ensure that road operations are strictly focused on crime prevention and public safety rather than revenue generation through illegal extortion.

He called for greater oversight of security operations to restore public confidence and reduce the burden on motorists and other road users.

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