Massive Extortion Claims Hit Security Forces as ₦21.8 Billion Siphoned at Southeast Roadblocks: Military, Police Under Fire

 

A staggering ₦21.8 billion has allegedly been extorted from commuters and transporters at military and police roadblocks across Southeast Nigeria in just two months, according to a damning report by Intersociety, a civil rights organization based in Anambra State. The figures have sparked widespread outrage and reignited calls for security sector reforms in the country.

According to the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), the alleged extortion was perpetrated by members of the Nigerian Police Force, the Army, and other security operatives manning checkpoints across the five southeastern states: Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo. The group described the situation as “industrial-scale corruption,” characterizing the region as a “lucrative colony of extortion” for uniformed personnel.

Researchers with Intersociety documented hundreds of checkpoints within the region, stating that an average of ₦30,000 to ₦50,000 is illicitly collected per commercial vehicle per day at some of the more active roadblocks. With tens of thousands of vehicles traversing these routes daily, the cumulative figures allegedly reached ₦21.8 billion between March and April 2025 alone.

Chairman of Intersociety, Emeka Umeagbalasi, said the group’s investigation relied on field reports, eyewitness accounts, transportation union data, and digital tracking methods. “What we have uncovered is nothing short of a criminal enterprise running under the guise of national security. Roadblocks have become toll booths for armed extortion,” he said during a press briefing in Onitsha.

The report singled out specific locations along the Onitsha-Owerri Road, Enugu-Abakaliki Road, and the Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway as notorious flashpoints. In some cases, drivers are reportedly forced to pay at multiple points along a single stretch of road, each time to different units of the same security agency.

Despite repeated denials by security authorities, the extortion at checkpoints remains an open secret. Transport unions and civil society groups have, over the years, raised concerns about the unchecked monetization of roadblocks, with some alleging that money collected is shared among commanding officers and senior officials in a well-organized syndicate.

Efforts to get a response from the Nigerian Army’s 82 Division, which oversees operations in much of the Southeast, proved unsuccessful. The Nigerian Police, while previously claiming to have dismantled illegal checkpoints, have yet to publicly address the new allegations detailed in Intersociety’s report.

Road users, especially commercial drivers and logistics operators, have borne the brunt of the alleged extortion. Emmanuel Okafor, a long-distance bus driver who plies the Enugu-Onitsha route weekly, recounted multiple encounters where refusal to pay resulted in harassment, delays, or vehicle impoundment. “They don’t even hide it anymore. Once you get to a checkpoint, you are expected to settle them or face consequences. It’s the cost of doing business,” he said.

The situation is said to have had broader economic implications. Many transport companies have reportedly hiked their fares to offset the cost of these payments, affecting the cost of goods and movement of people across the region. Small businesses depending on affordable logistics have been particularly hard-hit, worsening the already challenging economic climate.

Observers warn that the extortion culture is eroding public trust in security agencies, with growing resentment among residents. “Instead of protecting lives and property, some operatives have turned into predators. This undermines national security rather than enhancing it,” said Dr. Amaka Igwe, a political analyst at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Human rights groups have called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to investigate the allegations and dismantle what they describe as “an extortion architecture embedded within the country’s security forces.” There are also renewed demands for the implementation of police reform initiatives previously recommended by various panels.

Intersociety has urged the National Assembly to launch an independent probe into the matter, emphasizing that billions are being funneled away from lawful sources into the pockets of rogue officers. The group argues that such unchecked practices could destabilize the region further, especially amid lingering insecurity concerns.

The report’s revelations are particularly concerning given the Southeast’s long history of tensions between civilians and state actors. With lingering agitation from pro-Biafra groups and a fraught security landscape, analysts warn that unchecked abuses by security personnel could spark further unrest.

As citizens continue to share experiences and call for accountability, the silence from the top echelons of the military and police appears increasingly untenable. Civil society groups are planning coordinated protests and have threatened legal action if meaningful steps are not taken to address the extortion scandal.

Nigeria’s security institutions now face a crucial test: restore public confidence and clean house, or risk allowing a culture of impunity to further degrade national integrity.