Oke Ogun Initiative Demands Checkpoint Review, End to Extortion on Iseyin–Saki Road

 

COMMUNITIES SECURITY AND SURVEILLANCE INITIATIVE STAKEHOLDER'S MEETING AT ISEYIN

SECURITY CONSCIOUSNESS AND VIGILANCE IN OKE OGUN: URGENT CALL TO STREAMLINE CHECKPOINTS, END EXTORTION AND REMOVE DANGEROUS ROAD OBSTRUCTIONS ALONG THE ISEYIN–SAKI–ILESA IBARUBA ROAD

A Clarion Call for Safer Roads, Professional Security Operations, Freedom of Movement and Accountability

PRESS STATEMENT

The security and welfare of the people of Oke Ogun must remain a collective responsibility and a priority for all stakeholders. However, the protection of lives and property must go hand in hand with respect for the rule of law, freedom of movement, road safety and the economic well-being of citizens.

The situation along the Iseyin–Saki–Ilesa Ibaruba road, an important transportation corridor serving communities, farmers, traders, transport operators, commercial motorcyclists and other road users in Oke Ogun and neighbouring areas, requires urgent and coordinated attention.

Of particular concern are reports of multiple security checkpoints, alleged unauthorised collection of money from motorists and motorcyclists, dangerous materials used to obstruct traffic, and questions surrounding the necessity, location and effectiveness of numerous checkpoints reportedly operated by border-related security agencies along a corridor said to be more than 100 kilometres from parts of the Nigeria–Republic of Benin international border.

These concerns deserve objective investigation and a transparent response from the relevant authorities. Security operations should protect citizens and facilitate the lawful movement of people and goods, not expose road users to avoidable hazards, harassment, extortion or unnecessary delays.

1. DANGEROUS AND UNAUTHORISED ROAD OBSTRUCTIONS: AN IMMEDIATE THREAT TO PUBLIC SAFETY

One particularly disturbing concern is the reported use of hazardous materials to obstruct vehicular movement along the Iseyin–Saki–Ilesa Ibaruba road.

  

One of the several checkpoints along Saki Ilesa -Ibaruba road by a group of people who claimed to be police officers from the Border Patrol Unit under the Inspector General of Police

Materials reportedly used for this purpose include:

- Pieces of iron and other potentially hazardous metal objects.

- Large stones placed across the road.

- Discarded or condemned vehicle tyres.

- Logs of wood.

- Sacks filled with sand.

- Drums and other heavy objects used to obstruct traffic.

When such materials are placed on the highway without adequate warning signs, lighting, traffic-control arrangements or clearly identifiable lawful authority, they create serious risks for motorists, motorcyclists, passengers and pedestrians.

    

A driver approaching an unexpected obstruction, particularly at night or at high speed, may be unable to stop safely. Motorcyclists are especially vulnerable to collisions, falls and serious injuries. Heavy vehicles may be forced to brake suddenly, swerve dangerously or become stranded in isolated locations, potentially increasing their exposure to robbery, kidnapping and other criminal threats.

These obstructions can also delay emergency services, disrupt the transportation of perishable agricultural produce, increase vehicle operating costs and ultimately contribute to higher prices for consumers. They can impede the movement of people, goods and essential services across the region.

No security objective should justify the careless creation of road hazards that endanger the very people security personnel are expected to protect.

We therefore call on the relevant authorities to:

1. Establish a credible inspection team, involving representatives of Oke Ogun communities, to identify dangerous obstructions along the corridor and arrange for their safe removal by authorised personnel.

2. Investigate who is responsible for placing such materials on the road, the authority under which they are being used and the operational purpose they are intended to serve.

3. Prohibit improvised or hazardous roadblocks that do not comply with approved safety and operational procedures.

4. Ensure that any legitimate temporary traffic restriction is properly authorised, clearly identifiable, adequately visible and managed to minimise danger to road users.

5. Provide appropriate warning signs and traffic-control measures wherever authorised security operations require vehicles to slow down or stop.

6. Establish accessible channels through which road users can promptly report dangerous obstructions, abandoned materials and unsafe checkpoint practices.

Where evidence establishes that individuals have unlawfully obstructed the highway or deliberately endangered the public, the appropriate authorities should investigate and take action in accordance with the law.

2. MULTIPLE CHECKPOINTS AND THE DEPLOYMENT OF BORDER SECURITY AGENCIES

Another major concern is the operational justification for the numerous checkpoints reportedly maintained by immigration, customs and police border patrol personnel along the Iseyin–Saki–Ilesa Ibaruba road.

Given the reported distance of more than 100 kilometres between parts of this road corridor and the Nigeria–Republic of Benin international border, residents and road users are entitled to seek clarification regarding the legal authority, operational necessity, positioning and effectiveness of the various checkpoints.

This concern is not an argument against legitimate border security. Nigeria has a legitimate responsibility to prevent cross-border crime, smuggling, human trafficking, irregular migration, arms trafficking and other unlawful activities. The Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Customs Service and Nigeria Police Force, including duly authorised border patrol units, have distinct statutory responsibilities that may justify operations beyond the immediate international boundary.

However, the existence of a border-security mandate does not automatically justify every checkpoint, roadblock or enforcement method at every location.

The relevant authorities should explain why several checkpoints operated by different agencies are necessary along the same corridor, the specific security objectives each serves and whether their combined presence produces measurable public-safety benefits.

The following questions require clear answers:

- What is the legal and operational justification for each checkpoint?

- Which agency is responsible for each location, and which command supervises its personnel?

- Are the checkpoints based on documented security assessments, intelligence reports, traffic patterns or identified cross-border crime risks?

- Why are multiple agencies conducting similar or overlapping checks along the same route?

- Could intelligence sharing, coordinated patrols, mobile surveillance and risk-based vehicle inspections achieve the same objectives with fewer fixed checkpoints?

- What safeguards are in place to prevent unauthorised financial demands, harassment and duplication of duties?

- How frequently are the locations and effectiveness of these checkpoints reviewed?

We call for a joint operational review by the relevant security authorities to determine whether the number, location and practices of the checkpoints are proportionate to actual security needs.

Where checkpoints are found to be unauthorised, redundant, unsafe or operationally unjustifiable, they should be removed, consolidated or otherwise corrected through the appropriate lawful procedures.

The overriding objective must be to secure the corridor effectively without turning a major transportation route into a succession of unnecessary obstructions.

3. ALLEGED EXTORTION AND UNAUTHORISED COLLECTION OF MONEY AT CHECKPOINTS

Reports of alleged unauthorised collection of money from motorists and motorcyclists at checkpoints are another serious concern that requires urgent investigation.

Road users should not be compelled to pay unofficial levies or tolls, offer bribes or surrender money to security personnel simply to obtain passage along the Iseyin–Saki–Ilesa Ibaruba road.

Where personnel demand unauthorised payments, threaten motorists who refuse to comply or use checkpoint inspections for private financial gain, such conduct undermines public confidence and compromises the integrity of legitimate security operations.

We therefore call on the relevant authorities to:

1. Issue clear directives prohibiting unauthorised collection of money at security checkpoints.

2. Investigate credible allegations of extortion and impose appropriate disciplinary or legal sanctions where wrongdoing is established.

3. Establish accessible complaint channels through which motorists, motorcyclists, transport unions and other affected persons can report misconduct.

4. Strengthen supervisory inspections and require checkpoint commanders to account for the conduct of personnel under their supervision.

5. Ensure that any payment expressly authorised by law is collected only through the prescribed procedure, at the applicable official rate and with appropriate documentation where required.

6. Protect complainants against intimidation or retaliation for reporting suspected wrongdoing in good faith.

Members of the public should also be encouraged to document incidents safely by recording the location, date, time and agency involved, alongside any credible supporting information, and submitting their complaints to the appropriate authorities.

Security checkpoints must not become collection points for unofficial revenue or instruments of economic exploitation.

4. APPROVED UNIFORMS, OFFICIAL IDENTIFICATION AND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

The proper identification of security personnel is essential to effective public cooperation, operational accountability and the prevention of impersonation.

All personnel deployed to checkpoints should comply with the approved uniform, insignia, identification and operational requirements of their respective agencies. Where authorised duties require plain clothes, the relevant identification and accountability procedures should be observed.

The authorities should ensure that checkpoints are appropriately identified, that the responsible command can be established and that members of the public have access to recognised channels for reporting misconduct.

Regular supervisory inspections should address breaches of uniform and identification requirements, intimidation, unauthorised operations and other forms of unprofessional conduct.

These measures are particularly important where multiple agencies operate along the same road, as road users must be able to distinguish the responsibilities of the personnel they encounter and know where to direct legitimate complaints.

5. SECURITY CONSCIOUSNESS AND COMMUNITY VIGILANCE

While demanding greater accountability from security agencies, the people of Oke Ogun must also recognise their responsibility to support lawful security operations.

Residents, traditional rulers, community associations, transport unions, farmers, traders and other stakeholders should cooperate with authorised agencies, report credible information about suspicious activities and support community-based security awareness.

However, community vigilance must not be confused with arbitrary enforcement or the creation of dangerous roadblocks by unauthorised individuals.

Security interventions must be undertaken by persons with lawful authority, under appropriate supervision and in compliance with established safety procedures. Citizens should not take the law into their own hands or confront suspected offenders in ways that could endanger lives.

A safer Oke Ogun requires constructive collaboration between security agencies, traditional institutions, community leaders and the public, with accountability and respect for the law as guiding principles.

6. RECOMMENDATIONS AND IMMEDIATE ACTIONS REQUIRED

The Oke Ogun Communities Security and Surveillance Initiative calls on the Oyo State Government, the ten local governments in Oke Ogun, relevant federal security authorities, the leadership of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigerian Army, Federal Road Safety Corps, relevant vehicle inspection authorities, traditional institutions and community stakeholders to take the following actions without delay:

1. Conduct a comprehensive checkpoint audit: Document the location, responsible agency, legal authority, operational purpose and effectiveness of every checkpoint along the Iseyin–Saki–Ilesa Ibaruba road.

2. Remove dangerous road obstructions: Inspect and safely remove unauthorised or hazardous obstructions, including iron materials, large stones, discarded tyres, logs, sacks of sand and drums placed in ways that endanger road users.

3. Clarify the deployment of border agencies: Provide an appropriate explanation of the legal basis and operational necessity for maintaining multiple immigration, customs and police border patrol checkpoints along the corridor.

4. Consolidate overlapping operations: Adopt coordinated, intelligence-led checkpoints and joint patrol arrangements where these can deliver effective security without unnecessary duplication.

5. End unauthorised collections and extortion: Investigate complaints of unofficial financial demands and take appropriate action against personnel found culpable.

6. Enforce uniform and identification standards: Ensure that all deployed personnel comply with the applicable requirements of their respective agencies.

7. Improve road safety: Require appropriate warning signs, visible traffic-control arrangements and safe procedures at every authorised checkpoint or temporary traffic restriction.

8. Establish public accountability mechanisms: Provide accessible complaint channels, conduct regular operational reviews and engage constructively with affected communities and road users.

9. Evaluate security outcomes: Assess whether checkpoint operations are reducing crime, improving intelligence gathering and protecting the public, rather than measuring success merely by the number of checkpoints established.

CONCLUSION: SECURITY WITHOUT EXTORTION, ROADBLOCKS WITHOUT DANGER AND BORDER CONTROL WITH ACCOUNTABILITY

The Iseyin–Saki–Ilesa Ibaruba road is an important transportation corridor whose safe and efficient use is vital to the economic and social life of Oke Ogun.

Its security must not be compromised by criminal activity. Equally, its users must not be subjected to unnecessary hardship, exposed to dangerous road obstructions or forced to endure avoidable delays, duplicated checkpoints and unauthorised financial demands.

The reported distance between parts of this corridor and the Nigeria–Republic of Benin international border makes it particularly important for the relevant authorities to explain the rationale behind the deployment and positioning of multiple border-related checkpoints. Such explanations should be grounded in lawful mandates, credible security assessments, operational effectiveness, applicable trade-facilitation commitments and respect for citizens' rights.

We therefore call for an urgent, coordinated review of security operations along the road; the removal of dangerous and unauthorised obstructions; the elimination of illegal financial demands; the enforcement of appropriate identification standards; and the adoption of safer, intelligence-led security practices.

The people of Oke Ogun deserve effective security that protects lives, facilitates legitimate commerce, respects human dignity and inspires public confidence.

Our demand is straightforward: secure the road, remove dangerous obstructions, justify every checkpoint, stop extortion, ensure proper identification of security personnel and hold every agency accountable for its operations.

Security must protect the people, not endanger them. It must facilitate the movement of people and goods, not needlessly impede it. Border control must be effective, not arbitrary. Law enforcement must uphold the law and remain accountable under it.

ISSUED BY:

COMMUNITIES SECURITY AND SURVEILLANCE INITIATIVE

In the public interest and in furtherance of the security, safety, freedom of movement and sustainable development of Oke Ogun.

Security must protect the people, not endanger them.