Soldiers of the Nigerian Army, deployed under ‘Operation Udoka’, are forcing travellers in the South-East to disembark from vehicles at numerous checkpoints that litter the region SOUTH EAST DAILY have learnt.
On getting to any of the checkpoints manned by heavily armed soldiers on major highways in the region, vehicles – both commercial and private – would stop to discharge passengers. The passengers, mostly travellers, will then trek across the checkpoint. On getting to a considerable distance beyond the checkpoint, they will stop and wait for the vehicle that was conveying them. The driver will then move the vehicle past the checkpoint to meet the waiting passengers, who will subsequently return to their seats in the car.
An eye witness travelling from Abuja to Enugu said that immediately you are about to enter Enugu after Benue the first Military checkpoint before Nsukka is where the checkpoint begins.
Many passengers expressed anger at the situation. The witness who said she has gotten used to the situation, being a regular traveller on the route, explained that she starts her journeys two or three hours earlier than usual, in order to meet up with appointments. “If not, you will not arrive on time. You have to add extra one or two hours in order to meet up,” the witness said.