IPOB Accuses Soldiers At Military Checkpoints Of Colluding With Gunmen To Kidnap Motorists

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has raised the alarm over militarisation of the South-East region and alleged incessant military intimidation, harassment, and extortion.

The group said such atrocities occur at the “kill and bury” military checkpoint mounted at Ukwu Orji in the Mbaitolu Local Government Area along Owerri/Onitsha expressway in Imo State.

IPOB in a statement issued on Friday by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said that passengers have been subjected to all manner of humiliation, torture and forceful disappearances at military and police checkpoints in the South-East, particularly at the military checkpoint at Ukwu Orji area.

Powerful said, “The soldiers at this particular checkpoint deliberately keep all the vehicles that get to the checkpoint at 10pm to around 12am until each vehicle pays them N5,000 before they can be allowed to pass to continue on their journey.

military and police checkpoints in the East are part of the insecurity of kidnapping and car snatching gangs’ activities”.

It said, “The presence of these soldiers and police officers at various checkpoints has not reduced insecurity. Instead, the Nigerian soldiers at the checkpoints are humiliating, intimidating, raping our ladies, extorting money, and passing information to kidnappers.

“They are working with the kidnappers who deliver shares of ransom collected from kidnapped victims to them.

“IPOB is calling on the Nigeria Defence Headquarters and the Chief of Army Staff to withdraw and dismantle the military checkpoints in the East, particularly the checkpoint at Ukwu Orji on Owerri/Onitsha expressway.

“The Nigerian soldiers deployed at that checkpoint are part of the insecurity in the South-East Region.

“The checkpoints are meant to protect innocent civilians while checkmating the activities of criminal elements terrorizing the communities.

“Instead of stopping the insecurity, these military men and women at these checkpoints are fueling insecurity, kidnapping, angering, and frustrating the civilians on the roadways.

“The military checkpoints are extortion toll booths and information gathering for the kidnappers.”