As South-Easterners living in other parts of the country and abroad prepare to return home for the holidays, they face the prospect of harassment, intimidation, and humiliation by security personnel, including the police and army, at numerous checkpoints. These practices have become a recurring ordeal for road users in the region.
Reports indicate that travelers on major routes, such as the Onitsha-Enugu Expressway—a stretch of approximately 105 kilometers—encounter over 25 checkpoints manned by various security agencies, including the Army, Police, Road Safety Corps, and NDLEA. This translates to an average checkpoint every three kilometers, a density described as excessive even compared to war zones.
