A/Ibom Motorists Laud Free Traffic As Police Dismantle Checkpoints After LEADERSHIP Report

Commercial transporters including mini bus drivers, taxi and tricycle operators have heaved a sigh of relief following the dismantling of various checkpoints allegedly used as extortion points across the Akwa Ibom State capital, Uyo.

This, our Correspondent learnt, followed LEADERSHIP report of widespread extortion by officers and men manning various barricades erected for routine checks of vehicles along key roads connecting the metropolis.

However, it was gathered that several of the checkpoints along Abak Road, Ikot Ekpene Road, Aka Road, and the Uyo City centre, have been dismantled and the officers withdrawn on the orders of the Commissioner of Police (CP), Baba Azare.

Our Correspondent who monitored the.Uyo Capital City Development Authority (UCCDA) covering the peripheral local government areas of Abak, Ibesikpo Asutan, Uruan and Others, noted that only few checkpoints operate, from late Wednesday night to Thursday morning with the used tyres used to narrow the road removed for enhanced traffic flow.

Although the CP had earlier denied extortion by officers and men at the erected points, motorists noted that the eradication of the toll points has brought sanity to the road.

“This my front windscreen was smashed by a Policeman along this Abak Road because of my refusal to stop and part with money,” a commercial mini bus driver, plying Uyo to Abak on a daily basis lamented.

With the dismantling of most of the blockades, Etim Udo, from Etim Ekpo local government area applauded the action.

“Since the removal of the checkpoints, I have been able to settle the bus owner and also save substantial money as my personal earnings,” said Nsikak Effiong, a mini bus driver shuttling Ikot Ekpene to Uyo.

For Akaninyene Peter, a tricycle operator from the neighbouring Ibiono Ibom LGA, “the decision is a welcome development, considerating the fact for many years, we have been working for the Police with no complete returns to the vehicle owners.”

However, responding to the report, CP Azare, explained that “the presence of officers at checkpoints on major routes does not prove that communities elsewhere have been abandoned” adding that “the deployment is guided by prevailing security needs and operational assessments.”

The Command, Azare assured, “takes specific complaints of extortion, intimidation or abuse of authority seriously,” disclosing that the Command maintains a Complaint Response Unit (CRU) at the office of the Police Public Relations Department.

According to him, “the unit receive, process and address complaints fairly,” and urged members of the public who experience extortion to report it to the Unit on 08102958982.

“They may also approach any senior Police officer with a complaint at any time,” assuring “the complaints will be examined, and any officer found culpable will face appropriate disciplinary and legal action,” he stated.