The Warri, Delta State Branch of Nigerian Bar Association has faulted the erection of illegal roadblocks across major roads by an unrecognised taskforce in the state.
The branch in a communique issued at the end of its general meeting at the weekend urged Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to dismantle them.
The communique signed by the chairman, Chief Oghenero Okoro and S.G. Ediagbonuvie, Esq. lamented the spate of insecurity along the Effurun-Oghara axis of the Benin-Warri Road, urging the governor to clear herdsmen along the Eku-Abraka Road and neighbouring bushes due to the security threat they pose to commuters and residents of the area.
“The Warri- Benin Road, a federal high way, particularly the Effurun to Oghara portion of it, has been totally taken over by miscreants and other non-state actors who in the guise of one taskforce or the other have mounted road blocks on every metre of the road.
“Some government agencies like the NSCDC and Delta State revenue task forces, rather than check these miscreants, have also joined them in inflicting pain on commuters on this road.
“Between the Effurun Roundabout in Effurun and Oghara Junction in Ethiope-West local government area, about 32 illegal roadblocks are mounted by these non-state actors.
“This is excluding the ones mounted by the police. These roadblocks do not only make commuting on the Effurun to Oghara portion of the Warri-Benin highway difficult but also causes damage to vehicles,” the communique said.
“There have also been reports of robberies and attacks on citizens at night by criminals taking advantage of the logs and barricades left on the road at these roadblocks.
“That the security state of the Eku-Abraka road and also the Ohoror-Bomadi road is now very alarming. Fulani herdsmen have reportedly taken over the entire stretch of the Eku-Abraka road, daily kidnapping, killing, raping and maiming our people,” it added.
