Nigeria Police IG orders removal of Roadblocks Nationwide

The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris has ordered the immediate removal of all roadblocks across the country’s highway.

The highways from where roadblocks will be removed include Lagos-Ibadan, Shagamu-Benin, Benin-Onitsha, Okene-Abuja, Kaduna-Kano, Katsina-Kano, Otukpo-Enugu, Enugu-Port Harcourt expressways, Vanguard reports.

Idris also ordered the removal of all road blockages erected by transport unions or labour and trade related unions.

He asked that all police personnel involved in vehicle patrols across the country wear the appropriate uniforms with bold name tags and their service number.

He added that the directive was necessary to ease business activities in the country, and to ensure the safe passage of goods and travelers across the country.

No police department, section, squad or unit, he said, should mount a roadblock without the express permission of the IG of Police.

Read the statement below:

The Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim k. Idris NPM, mni, has ordered the dismantling of all roadblocks nationwide with immediate effect; particularly on the following routes, Lagos-Ibadan, Shagamu-Benin, Benin-Onitsha, Okene-Abuja, Kaduna-Kano, Katsina – Kano, Otukpo – Enugu, Enugu – Port Harcourt Express Ways.
The IGP has also directed the Special X-Squads to embark on removal of other forms of illegal blockage and obstructions on Highways and Roads, created by unlawful Revenue/Tax collectors, Road Transport Unions, Labour and Trade related unions inhibiting vehicular movement and smooth passage of passengers and goods, and other road users across the country.
For avoidance of doubt, the Taxes and Levies act, Laws of Federation of Nigeria 2004 section 2 (2) disallowed any person, including a Tax Authority from mounting a Road block in any part of the Federation for the purposes of collecting any Tax or Levy.
While monitoring and ensuring full compliance of this directive by all the personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, the Force hereby advised the relevant State Governments, Local Government Councils, Boards of States Internal Revenue service, and various Transport Unions, Labour and Traders Associations that it is against the law for any organization to create a blockage to restrict or restrain members of the public the free usage of Roads and Highways anywhere in the country.