Police checkpoints return to Ekiti

Posted by admin Ekiti, Headlines, State News Tuesday, December 25th, 2012

Police checkpoints have returned to some major roads in Ekiti State ahead of Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Findings by our correspondent on Monday showed huge police presence and checkpoints on some of the roads, especially on the Ado-Ekiti-Iyin-Ekiti Road.

Police sheds have also sprung up on the road, suggesting that their presence may not be short-lived.

Some of the patrol vans stationed at the checkpoints, were manned by riot policemen as well as other operatives from Federal Highway Patrol, Swift Response Squad and Special Anti-Robbery Squad.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, had on assumption of duty earlier in the year, banned police checkpoints across the country.

Some motorists, who spoke with our correspondent in Ado-Ekiti on Monday, alleged that policemen at these checkpoints extorted money from them.

They further claimed that the return of checkpoints on the road was a violation of the order given by the Inspector General of Police, Abubakar Mohammed.

Our correspondent also observed that youths with funny hair styles were being quizzed by the policemen at the checkpoints.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Victor Babayemi, said policemen were deployed in the areas to check the activities of bandits.

He said, “The men you see there are on stop and search to check the activities of bandits on the highways, especially on the Ado/Iyin Road.

“Also, there is an increased visible patrol to ensure hitch free festivities. No part of the Inspector-General of Police directive is breached. There is no roadblock but massive visibility patrol and thorough stop and search.”

The police had three months ago arrested a suspect, Dele Ajai, said to belong to a four-man gang that robbed at Akannasan, Iyin/Ado-Ekiti Road on May 18.

The gang was said to have snatched a Golf Volkswagen car at Akannasan and killed the owner.

A police officer, who was travelling to Iyin-Ekiti from Ado-Ekiti, was reportedly shot and wounded in the operation by the gang.
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