By Emmanuel Iheaka, Owerri

Stakeholders across various strata of the society gathered in Owerri, Imo State, Tuesday, to seek end to human rights abuses, extortion and brutality by security men.

The event tagged, ‘Stakeholders’ Dialogue on Human Rights, Extortion and Brutality: The Way Out’, focused on South East Zone of Nigeria with Imo and Abia as pilot states.

In an opening remark, the Chief Executive Officer of Youths and Students Advocates for Development Initiative (YSAD), Mr. Obinna Nwagbara, said the dialogue was imperative due to reports of recurrent incidences of extortion, brutality and other variants of abuses in the zone.

He noted that South East region has the highest number of police, army, FRSC, NDLEA, and NSCDC checkpoints in the country.

“Ostensibly, these checkpoints are erected for the purpose of providing security for commuters but as you and I know, the provision of security is merely incidental. It is alleged that most of the time, these checkpoints mounted by state actors are simply set up for the purpose of extortion of motorists, intimidation of road users and harassment of law abiding citizens.

“There have been countless media reports of police patrol vans illegally extorting money from fun seekers at weekends, including those who went for clubbing, hanging in a local bar or watching a game of football.

“We have read multiple reports of individuals being hounded and thrown into detention facilities whence they are unable to ‘settle’ on the spot”, he stated.

A representative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Imo State Command, DCC Ben Godman Nwokafor, called for reorientation of Nigerians, with a view to encouraging them to do the right thing.

Nwokafor said the command does not joke with disciplining or firing personnel found wanting in conduct.

According to him, if everyone in every sector does the right thing, the society will be better off.

A journalist, Steve Uzoechi stated that extortion and human rights abuses have become endemic in the country because leaders who ought to take responsibility of checking crime, are rather accomplices.

Uzoechi insisted that political leaders and heads of security agencies must be held accountable if the issue must be tackled.

A representative of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Sir Dennis Nneji, said the union had engaged heads of security agencies towards tackling the issue of extortion and human rights abuses in the state.

He disclosed that there are plans by the leadership of the union to establish mobile court to handle the excesses of some commercial motorists, adding that the union was working hard to discipline erring members.

A priest, Rev. Fr. Godswill Agbagwa, maintained that law enforcement agents should live above board in terms of corruption.

He admitted that corruption is institutionalized in the country, but held that security agents should set the pace in doing the right thing.

The priest charged youths to channel their energy towards reporting corrupt security agents to authorities for appropriate sanctions.