Travellers in commercial vehicles moving in and out of Maiduguri,
Borno State, are currently being extorted the sum of N200 per person
for failing to provide their national identification cards for
clearance to enter the city.

Daily Trust reports that travellers have to pay N200 at some
checkpoints situated on the outskirts of the metropolis.

“This practice has been in place for four to five years. A combined
team of Immigration Service and the military working at the entrance
of this town have been collecting N200 from all passengers who could
not produce their national ID cards,” said a Hiace bus driver on
arrival at a checkpoint in Maiduguri.

The driver, who parked by the roadside at Jimtilo area, awaiting his
passengers to do their clearance with some Immigration personnel,
added that it was only “that type of National ID cards” that were
being required for the identification clearance at the checkpoint.

“Any passenger, who fails to produce the National ID card must pay
N200 at this checkpoint whether they are coming in or going out of
Maiduguri. And therefore, we have been experiencing delays on our
journeys to and from the city.

“Because, the authorities here insist on one type of identification
cards which many passengers do not possess, and most of the passengers
are not willing to pay that N200 as a fine and so, the authorities
would ask the drivers to offload all the luggage belonging to the
erring passenger which is very difficult and time-consuming,” the
driver explained.

A passenger, Rebecca, who was aboard a Hiace bus along Bama road,
heading to Gwoza town, told our correspondent that she has been paying
N200 for failing to produce her ID card.

“Since the road to Gwoza was reopened, I have been paying this N200 at
some checkpoints till I reach Gwoza town. I do have two other ID
cards, but they only require that specifically, which I couldn’t get
time to obtain,” she said.

However, the Operation Positive Identification which was inaugurated
on Monday by the Theatre Command of the Operation Lafiya Dole did not
specify the 'national ID card' as the only means of identification.

“Troops are directed to strictly check legitimate means of
identification such as national identification card, voters
registration card, drivers’ license, and passport or other valid
official identification before allowing such persons passage,” said a
statement on Monday by the Nigerian Army spokesman at the command,
Col. Ado Isa.

“Consequently, Operation Positive Identification is seriously ongoing
across the North-East. Members of the public are requested to
cooperate with the troops by moving along with valid identification
cards and present same to the troops in the efforts to rid the
North-East zone of criminals fleeing for safety,” the statement added.

Source: http://saharareporters.com/2019/09/26/boko-haram-nigerian-troops-extorting-n200-travellers-without-id-cards

Wow is it a rule that you have to compromise everything. There's no wasted opportunity to extort cash out of people.

Normal normal ... Corruption is a NIGERIAN.

Na the positive identification be dis? This country is just sick on all fronts, and they will be making returns to their superiors o! Yet they are fighting corruption and it started 4-5 years ago! Ok na

Very sick country.... Wheren you can't differentiate between law enforcement agencies and armed robbers. Surviving in Nigeria should be enlisted in the "1000 ways to die series" to be honest