Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has urged the Nigerian Army to end the alleged harassment and humiliation of travellers at military checkpoints across the state.
There were reports that travellers are often forced to disembark from their vehicles and cross checkpoints on foot, sometimes with their hands raised, while trucks conveying traders are allowed to pass freely with passengers on board.
Addressing the issue after Monday’s State Executive Council meeting held at the governor’s Nvosi country home, the Security Adviser to the Governor, McDonald Ubah, revealed that Otti has warned security agents against such practices.
“Soon, there will be a regulation correcting that,” Ubah stated, emphasising that no Abia resident should be subjected to degrading treatment at checkpoints.
According to him, Otti has given a directive on people being subjected to the dehumanising practice of asking people to come down and cross military checkpoints on foot, adding, “You don’t ask people to come down from their vehicles, raise their hands up and cross and tomorrow, you want them to come and give you information.”
Ubah reassured residents of the Army’s commitment to their safety, stating, “There is an exercise that is ongoing, ‘Operation Udoka.’ It is for the safety of lives and property.”
Ubah also shed light on the recent relocation of a military checkpoint where three soldiers were killed last week.
According to him, the checkpoint was reintroduced to curb escalating crimes in the area, including kidnappings.
He said, “They (military) have to come because of the level of crime that has been taking place around that axis. Criminals had a field day. They will kidnap people and cross over to the Imo State side without being accosted.
“The same people who complained about the checkpoint are the same people who said they want them back that the level of kidnapping along that side was becoming unbearable, and that they were living in fear.
“So, Otti, being a listening governor, decided to emplace that checkpoint and what we now did was that we now removed the checkpoint from where it was before to further down, close to the river. This was to make sure that all the side roads and tracks that the criminals through which they circumvent the position of that checkpoint were eliminated
“So, they have no way to go without the soldiers seeing them. For whatever reason, they have been unsuccessful because of that checkpoint there.
“So, that particular checkpoint is being relocated to a more convenient place where the soldiers will have a clearer view of all sides to protect themselves.”
He added that Otti had told them that no Abian should be subjected to raising their hands while crossing military checkpoints, stating that going forward, people will not see it again.
Ubah stated, “We had a meeting with the Minister of Defense on Thursday last week and all the security advisers of the five eastern states and this same issue came up.”
About the market across the river closed by the Army, Ubah said, “We don’t have that authority over that market. The soldiers viewed it that the hoodlums took off from that side of the divide and came to Abia and carried out that attack.”
The Aemy, he said, has accepted and opened the road that was closed after the attack and therefore the responsibility of Imo State to do the same to open the market, disclosing further that “the meeting we held on Saturday was to ensure that there is the collaboration among the South Eastern States.”
Responding to allegations of soldiers forcing civilians to fill sandbags, Ubah clarified that the governor has provided concrete barriers for military protection, eliminating the need for such practices.
“The governor is against that and that is why he has gone out of his way to provide concrete barriers and they are painted for protection for the soldiers,” he said.
The commander added, “To further strengthen the confidence building, the Nigerian Army has provided a three-digit telephone line. If there is any need to dial it, the nearest military formation will respond immediately.
“The soldiers are here for you and to ensure that you are safe and only people with questionable intentions that would be worried about the activities which the soldiers will stand against.”