Court Orders Police, Anambra Gov, Obiano To Remove Illegal Checkpoints On Roads

An Anambra High Court has ordered the state government and the state Commissioner of Police to remove all roadblocks in the state.

In his judgment in the case of Francis Moneke v. Anambra State Govt. & Ors., delivered on Tuesday, Justice Ike Ogu held that the state government and the police had no legal justification in erecting roadblocks on major roads in the state under the guise of tackling insecurity.

Justice Ogu held that such blockage violates the applicant’s right to freedom of movement.

Consequently, the court ordered the state government and the police to immediately remove all roadblocks in the state to allow free movement of persons and vehicles.

The respondents were also ordered to pay some amount of money to the applicant as compensation for the violation of his fundamental right to freedom of movement.

Our correspondent gathered that the road block at Amawbia/Nibo Junction has been causing pains to road users in Awka, the state capital.

It was also gathered that the road block at Igbariam, Awkuzu junctions of the Onitsha-Awka Road have also been causing unnecessary pains to motorists.