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Sowore’s arrest sparks debate on Police checkpoints, corruption, and citizen harassment

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The recent invitation, arrest, and detention of activist and journalist, Omoyele Sowore, by the Nigeria Police Force over a viral video he recorded at a checkpoint along Lagos Airport Road has ignited widespread debate about police conduct, extortion, and impunity at roadblocks across the country.

Sowore, who was reportedly detained at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, had filmed a group of police officers attempting to stop his vehicle at the checkpoint, highlighting concerns about arbitrary stops and the harassment of motorists.

His arrest has drawn public outrage, with many calling it an attempt to silence those exposing police misconduct rather than addressing the root causes of corruption within the force.

To put the issue in perspective, several past incidents underscore the recurring pattern of abuse and extortion by police officers at checkpoints, particularly along major roads in Nigeria.

One such incident occurred in Lagos in August 2021, when two students of Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ikwo (FUNAI), Ebonyi State, were unlawfully detained, harassed, and extorted by police officers at a checkpoint along the same Lagos Airport Road.

The students, Michael Ekene Okonkwo (20) and Udo Chukwu Maduforo, were on their way to the airport to board a flight back to school when their vehicle was stopped in front of Golden Tulip Hotel at about 11:00 a.m.

The officers searched them and, despite finding nothing incriminating, refused to let them go. Their pleas that they were students trying to catch a flight fell on deaf ears, and the officers extorted ₦40,000 from them—money meant for their upkeep in school.

READ ALSO: Police launch manhunt for Omoyele Sowore following viral video exposing alleged police extortion

As a result of the unlawful detention, the students missed their Air Peace flight, which was scheduled for 11:40 a.m. They were forced to return home and later travel at an extra cost. The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), led by its Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma, petitioned the then Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, demanding justice. However, no action was taken against the officers involved, reinforcing a culture of impunity within the force.

Another case documented by RULAAC involved a passenger traveling from Abia State to Abuja.

The commercial vehicle he was in was stopped by police officers at a checkpoint in Enugu State. The officers singled him out for carrying a laptop, profiling him as a “Yahoo boy” (internet fraudster) based solely on stereotypes.

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The police ordered the vehicle to continue its journey, leave the young man behind. After searching him and finding no evidence of wrongdoing, they extorted money from him before allowing him to leave.

The stranded passenger had to pay extra to board another vehicle to complete his journey.

Following RULAAC’s intervention, the officers involved were identified, and in a rare case of accountability, their commander ensured that they refunded the extorted money and the extra travel expenses. However, it remains unclear whether disciplinary action was taken against them, as initially promised.

These cases represent only a fraction of the widespread and systemic abuse of power by police officers at checkpoints across Nigeria.

The practice of stopping vehicles at random, harassing motorists, and extorting money has become normalized, with law enforcement agencies failing to take decisive action against rogue officers.

Activists argue that instead of addressing these deep-rooted issues, the Nigeria Police have chosen to go after individuals like Sowore, whose only “offense” was exposing the corrupt practices that Nigerians face daily.

The same checkpoint where Sowore recorded the viral video is the same location where the two students were harassed and extorted in 2021.

RULAAC and other civil society organizations have called on the Inspector-General of Police to take urgent action to curb police corruption at checkpoints. They demand that officers who engage in extortion be held accountable, victims be compensated, and policies be implemented to ensure that roadblocks do not become avenues for criminal policing.

Instead of suppressing those who speak out against injustice, activists argue that the Nigeria Police should prioritize genuine reforms to restore public confidence in law enforcement.

The growing outrage over Sowore’s arrest is a clear indication that Nigerians are tired of impunity and demand an end to police corruption and abuse of power.

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