Despite the directive of the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, to men and officers of police commands to dismantle checkpoints across the federation; some police units in Aba, the commercial nerve centre of Abia State are back to the business of extorting money from motorists.
For some months now, the recalcitrant policemen have found the Ururuka road, which is the shortest route to Umuahia, the Abia State capital as a safe heaven for their illegal business.
Members of the Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS), Base 4 which have relocated to the premises of the Obingwa High Court at Eastern Ngwa along the Ururuka road, seems to be the worst culprit as they have mounted disused tyres and logs of wood on the road in order to ensure no motorist passes without slowing down to pay roger.
A motorist Ikechukwu Nwogu who plies the Ururuka road because of the deplorable state of the Aba “Ikot Ekpene road, to Uyo said, You can’t pass this point without paying N100.We wonder if the IGP who was just confirmed has rescinded the order on checkpoints. What the ATS men does here is unfair. The extortion is just too much. They will ask you to bring money for no just cause. To ask of your offence, they will intimidate and delay you, passengers will be put pressures on you to settle them.This is the problem. The IGP should call them to order, we are suffering on this road, he said.
Other motorists who now use the road to Umuahia due to the unhealthy state of the Aba “ Umuahia Expressway lamented the return of the road blocks on the road. This, they said, have made life difficult for them and on the authorities to call the ATS men to call them to order.
The ATS have also converted the Opobo Junction on the Aba “ Ikot Ekpene road to a business point where they extort money from motorists, mostly those from Akwa Ibom and Cross Rivers State, who came to Aba to purchase goods.
“This is what we suffer here everyday. The ATS men will hide by the roadside, if they spot on coming vehicles, particularly those loaded with goods, you will see them running to stop the vehicle. Most times, when there is traffic jams due to the one lane being used, they will look the other way, a driver, who gave his name as Nnabuchi alleged.
Other spots which have new road blocks are the Obikabia road which leads to the Obingwa council secretariat at Mgboko.
Pointblanknews.com Investigations revealed that Policemen from the Ohuru Isimiri station have made life miserable for the road users, including council workers who ply the road daily.
Pointblanknews.com further gathered the Federal High Patrol Team has also been alleged of being in the habit of mounting checkpoints at interval in order to extort money from unsuspecting motorists.
As at press time, efforts to get the reaction of the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abia State Command, DSP Onyeke Ezekiel, did not yield fruit as he could not pick calls made to his mobile number.