Christmas and New Year travellers in Nigeria’s South East region have reported delays on the roads from multiple security checkpoints.
On Christmas Day, several travellers on the Enugu-Opi Road complained they were stranded for hours at a military checkpoint, with an online news report alleging soldiers extorted money from travellers.
A video clip showed scores of vehicles at the checkpoint, with travellers lamenting the inhumane treatment they face at the hands of Nigerian security agencies.
“Look at the mayhem soldiers are causing at Opi junction in Enugu State,” one reportedly said. “All they know how to do is to extort money from innocent Nigerians.”
Travellers are calling for government intervention, asking why they are being subjected to such treatment.
The Enugu-Opi Road connects the Southeast to the northern region. In recent times it has become notorious for kidnappings and other armed attacks, with residents living in fear for their safety.
The situation is similar at other expressways in the region, where passengers are sometimes asked to get out of their vehicles and walk past checkpoints before rejoining them.
Extortion Leads To Higher Transportation Costs
Some commercial drivers claim they spend between ₦2,000 and ₦100,000, depending on the route and vehicle, to settle police and soldiers on the road. This has not been independently verified.
Transporters have reportedly increased their fares due to extortions and delays on the roads. An 18-seater bus that used to cost ₦3,000 now costs between ₦4,000 and ₦4,500. Sienna vehicles that used to cost ₦5,000 to ₦6,000 per trip now cost ₦7,000, depending on travel distance.
Travellers describe the situation as “difficult” for the Christmas and New Year celebrations, calling on the state government and relevant agencies to intervene.
In the Enugu metropolis, transport operators have increased fares within the city, with taxi drivers, bus drivers, and tricycle operators hiking their fares.
Southeast leaders have often bitterly complained about the numerous security checkpoints and rigorous security check routines in the region, but without much amelioration. Some now question whether this is a stated policy of Nigeria’s security operations for the region that was once the theatre of a failed secessionist bid more than half a century ago.
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