Again, Nigerian Police Bans Road Blocks

Solomon-Arase

The Acting Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, has said that police road blocks breed corruption, warning that any police personnel caught mounting road blocks anywhere in the country would be made to face the law.

The IGP made the declaration in Abuja on Wednesday, just as he announced the reopening of the Nigeria Police Intelligence School in Enugu, which was shut down about a year ago.
Arase, who spoke during his inaugural meeting with senior officers of the Force, also highlighted long term plans for the police in the days ahead.



He said: “The drive will be clear, coordinated, massive, firm and sustained and it will target and tackle issues relating to commercialization of bail process, the nuisance of road blocks and abuse of police powers, particularly, in relation to pre-trial detention.

“I wish to in clear terms, re-emphasize that police road blocks remain banned. They are public nuisance, points of corruption, and source of police-citizens’ frictions.

“The loss of public respect and confidence in the police as well as our inability to effectively tackle crimes in the most ethical and professional manner have been widely attributed to the challenge of corruption within the policing system.”


Arase, however ,noted that Commissioners of Police, Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers in whose jurisdiction illegal road blocks are detected will be personally held liable and strict disciplinary actions will be initiated against them.