CDHR Urges New CP to Dismantle Illegal Roadblocks, Probe Highway Extortion in Delta

By Effie Empress Kagbala

The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, CDHR, Delta State Branch, has challenged the newly deployed Commissioner of Police, CP Samuel Etaifo Erale, to urgently dismantle illegal police roadblocks and investigate reports of alleged extortion of motorists across major highways in the state.

The rights organisation in a statement signed by Comr. Derrick Oritsematosan Agberen Chairman, CDHR Delta State Branch and Comrade Godswill Nosa Overseey Publicity Secretary, said the growing presence of what it described as illegal and obstructive checkpoints on the DSC Expressway and other major roads had become a serious concern, warning that the practice was threatening free movement and public safety.

The group alleged that police personnel in some Divisions and Area Commands were mounting checkpoints with tyres, barricades and other objects, thereby obstructing traffic and creating avoidable bottlenecks for motorists and other road users.

According to CDHR, the situation has resulted in traffic congestion, delays, economic losses and increased risks to motorists and pedestrians who are forced to navigate obstructed sections of the highways.

However, the organisation said its concern goes beyond the physical obstruction of roads.

CDHR questioned whether some of the checkpoints were still being used primarily for legitimate security purposes or had allegedly become platforms for harassment, intimidation and solicitation of money from road users.

The group stressed that it was not opposed to legitimate police patrols, stop-and-search operations or intelligence-driven security checks.

Rather, it said it was concerned about the manner in which some personnel conduct their operations, citing reports and encounters which, according to the organisation, indicate that motorists are allegedly being pressured to part with money before being allowed to proceed.

CDHR specifically raised concerns about motorists driving flashy vehicles and tricycle operators carrying additional passengers, saying they were among those reportedly subjected to questionable stops and demands.

The organisation also expressed concern over the enforcement of tinted-window directives, alleging that some officers were using the exercise as another opportunity to extort motorists.

For CDHR, the development raises a broader question of police accountability: when a security checkpoint becomes an obstruction and motorists are allegedly made to pay before proceeding, where does legitimate policing end and abuse of authority begin?

“Roads are meant to ease movement, not to become toll gates for extortion,” the organisation said.

CDHR maintained that police checkpoints must be established and operated for legitimate security purposes and should not become platforms for harassment, unlawful fines or the collection of money from members of the public.

The group therefore urged CP Erale to make the issue an immediate priority and use his new position to restore confidence in the Delta State Police Command.

Specifically, CDHR demanded that the Commissioner order the immediate removal of tyres, barricades and other illegal obstructions being used to block or restrict movement on highways and major roads.

It further called on the CP to direct all Divisional Police Officers and Area Commanders to ensure that their personnel operate strictly within the law and respect the rights and dignity of citizens.

The rights organisation also demanded a comprehensive investigation into reports of alleged extortion, harassment and dangerous obstruction, insisting that officers found culpable should face appropriate disciplinary measures.

CDHR said the Police Command must reassure Deltans that its priority would remain professional policing, protection of lives and property, and public safety, rather than harassment or unlawful demands for money.

The organisation warned that continued inaction could have serious consequences, particularly if obstructive checkpoints contribute to a major accident or confrontation between motorists and police personnel.

It also cautioned that persistent complaints of alleged extortion could further erode public confidence in the Police Force and undermine cooperation between citizens and security agencies.

CDHR consequently called on CP Erale to act swiftly before an avoidable tragedy occurs, stressing that restoring sanity to Delta highways requires both the removal of illegal obstructions and credible action on complaints of police misconduct.

The organisation said the matter was ultimately about more than traffic.

It was about the right to free movement, public safety, police accountability and the confidence of citizens in law enforcement.

With the new Commissioner of Police now at the helm of the Delta Command, CDHR said it expected decisive action to demonstrate that security checkpoints would remain security points not unofficial toll gates on the state's highways.