Stop extortion, commuters' harassment, Senate tells IGP

THE Senate has urged the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to urgently direct police personnel to stop forthwith, extortion, intimidation and harassment of motorists and commuters on the highways.

It also called for the training and retraining of police personnel to ensure civility in the discharge of their functions to Nigerians.

The upper chamber urged the Inspector General of Police to set up a panel to investigate the barbaric killing of a commuter and forward report of investigation to the Senate via Secretary to Government of the Federation, SGF.

Resolutions  of the Senate, yesterday, were sequel to adoption of a motion, entitled, “Urgent Need to Halt Extortion, Intimidation and Harassment of Motorists and Commuters by the Police on public roads.” It was sponsored by Senator Onyekachi Peter (APC-Ebonyi North).

In his presentation, Senator Peter, who noted that one of the primary functions of the police personnel was to, among other things, facilitate the free passage and movement on highways, said Section 49 sub section one of the Police Act, 2020, empowered the police to conduct stop and search operations.

According to him, subsection two empowered them to search and detain any person or vehicle where reasonable ground for suspicion existed, adding that the police personnel who had the primary duties to facilitate free passage and movement of commuters and motorists on public roads had taken undue advantage by resorting to extortion, intimidation and harassment of motorists.

In his contribution, Senator Elisha Abbo (APC-Adamawa), said the issue of extortion of commuters on public roads was not only limited to personnel of Nigeria police but other security agencies in uniform, stressing there was an urgent need for  the police to reform itself.

On his part, Senator David Jimkuta (APC-Taraba), noted that the operation of some police personnel on the highways was barbaric in nature, and called for the composition of a panel of enquiry on the recent killing of a commuter by police personnel on the highway, with severe disciplinary measures for the culprit.

On his part, Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, called for investigation on the dehumanisation of Nigerians on  highways.

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