By Olukayode Michael, Maiduguri
Borno Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara alleged that soldiers
and policemen manning Borno highways are extorting his people.
The governor, who was apparently annoyed to find numerous motorists stranded on
getting to Njimtilo where a gate has been constructed on the highway to check
people coming and leaving Maiduguri.
Umara alleged that security personnel of the Nigeria military and police
collect bribes of N1000 from travellers who do not have national identity
cards.
The governor, who could not but raised his voice on seeing the large number of
people stranded at the gate, told the security on guard, that “this is
unacceptable.”
Speaking on top of his voice, he asked the officials: “How can you subject
people to this kind of torture all in the name of National ID card? And you are
all here collecting N500 and N1000 from poor travellers who don’t have national
ID card.”
A soldier that tried to offer an explanation was shouted down by the governor,
who said “No this is not right. The federal government has not created an
enabling environment for our people to get their national ID cards and you are
here collecting N500 and N1000 as a fine for not having what the federal
government has not provided for all.”
The governor said he has received several reports about the alleged extortion
at the Maiduguri checkpoint and asked one of his aides to call the Head of the
military counter-insurgency operation in the Northeast (Operation Lafiya Dole),
Maj. Gen. Olusegun Adeniyi.
The governor, who was still annoyed with what he saw, told Adeniyi on phone in
the full glare of the public, “Theater Commander where are you? …Right now I’m
at the checkpoint near state university and we have thousands of people
stranded and your people are here collecting money from people because they
don’t have National ID Card. Why?”
He subsequently ordered the security
personnel at the gate to open the gates on both sides to allow all travellers
to move.
Some of the travelers who spoke to journalists, alleged that they have been
held at the gate for several hours without any explanation.
One of them, a bus driver, Isa Adamu said: “I left Damaturu since 9 a.m. and I
arrive here at about 11 a.m. But here I am being held till 3 p.m.”
A woman, who said she was travelling from Bauchi to Maiduguri, said, “I was
asked to give N500 because I don’t have ID card, but I had nothing to give
because we passed the night in Damaturu yesterday, because the soldiers said it
was late to proceed at about 5 p.m. And I spent all the money I had on me.”
Brig. Gen. Adeniyi who met the governor while ensuring smooth movement through
the gate, explained that the massive traffic hold up was not caused by soldiers
at the checkpoint.
He said it was as a result of an attack somewhere on the highway early in the
day.
He however promised the governor to investigate the allegation of extortion to
find out if it was was true.
This perhaps further annoyed the governor, who insisted that the accusation was
true, saying that: “I saw them with my eyes, I spoke with people that were
asked to give money!”
