By Emeka Mamah & Chinedu Adonu
ENUGU—AS motorists grumble over alleged extortion at military checkpoints mounted by personnel of Operation Python Dance 3, the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army has said the rules of engagement made available to troops in internal security duty do not allow such malfeasance.

Operation python dance

However, commercial bus and truck drivers have alleged that soldiers at military checkpoints across the SouthEeast zone, usually employ the services of young civilians to collect money, ranging from N200 to N300 on their behalf before being allowed to pass through such roadblocks.

This came as aggrieved women of Ogbozinne autonomous community, Akpugo in Nkanu West local government area of Enugu State marched round Enugu metropolis protesting against alleged unlawful arrest and continued detention of their children by men of the Enugu State Police Command and FSARS operatives in the state.

Investigations across such road blocks especially in parts of Enugu, revealed that commercial bus, tipper and truck drivers are made to part with some money usually through proxies, before they allowed to pass through.

But, reacting to the development, the Deputy Director, Public Relations, 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Col Sagir Musa, denounced such alleged misdemeanor, saying it is against the rules of engagement, made available to military personnel on internal security assignments.

Musa’s statement read, “The 82 Division Nigerian Army don’t licence, condone, or encourage, any professional misconduct such as extortion by any of its personnel especially those on Internal Security duty.

“There have been various efforts such as Operation Checkmate; establishment of human rights desk, Rules of Engagement and Code of Conduct given to troops on duty to halt any form of professional infractions.

“So, we encourage anybody that witnesses such violations to report to 82 Division Human Rights Desk or Public Relations Department for appropriate and decisive action.”

Enugu women protest

Meanwhile, aggrieved women from Ogbozinne autonomous community, Akpugo in Nkanu West Local Government area of Enugu State, yesterday marched through Enugu metropolis protesting against alleged unlawful arrest and continued detention of their children by men of the Enugu State Police  Command and FSARS operatives in the state, following the death of the traditional ruler of the community, HRH Igwe Stephen Nneji Obuneme Nwatu.

The monarch was allegedly stripped naked and beaten to death by some of his kinsmen, leading to the destruction of some houses in the community.

The women who also decried the arrest and detention of Rev. Fr. Okafor Azikiwe, displayed placards with inscriptions such as “ Stop arrest and unjust detention, sealing of Bank accounts, illegal closing of shops by Enugu Police Command and federal SARS,”  “Give us fair hearing at the judicial panel of inquiry headed by retired, Justice Agbata.”

The leader of the angry protesters, Mrs Rebecca Edeh, said: “We are here to protest against the continued arrest and detention of our children and severe harassment we are suffering in Ogbozinne community in the hands of the police and federal SARS.

“We are calling on the state government to help us.”