As Nigerians joined the rest of the world, weekend, to mark the World Human Rights Day, International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, a civil society group, Sunday, accused the Nigerian Police Force of rights abuse and raking in over N53.48billion from road block extortion in the last three years across the country.

The group in a statement by its Chairman, Mr Emela Umeagbalasi to mark the day and also in honour of the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu-Ojukwu in Onitsha, Anambra State, called on President Goodluck Jonathan to direct the Inspector General of Police, Nigeria Police Service Commission, and Police Affairs Minister to dismantle all road-blocks on Nigerian roads, especially in the South-East and recall all police personnel engaging in such practices back to their stations.

Chairman of the group, Mr Emeka Umeagbalasi, said the report covered from 2009 till date.

The report, which gave detailed account of activities of some members of the Police Force in their nefarious acts and efforts made to bring the attention of relevant government and non governmental organisations, to the cases of abuses and extortion, said “if there must be security checkpoints on Nigerian roads, they must be fewer in number and strictly meant for “check and go.

“To avoid being abused again, the Inspector General of Police should be directed to compile the list of special security checkpoints nationwide and present it to the Federal Executive Council through the Police Affairs Minister for approval. If approved, the list should be made public by the Minister of Information, which must also be advertised in print, audio, audio-visual and online media. The list should also be posted on NPF and the Ministry of Police Affairs’ websites, if any.

“Operational patrols, effective surveillance and intelligence gathering should be intensified nationwide and more patrol vans provided with their maintenance costs borne by relevant Federal and State governing authorities.

“The said special security checkpoints should be headed by Superintendents of Police (SPs), who must be present at all times at their duty posts. Effective Police patrol will deter criminal activities on our highways.

“Every Police officer at such special security checkpoints nationwide must be made to wear his or her service uniforms and numbers for easy identification by concerned Nigerians in the event of any homicidal and graft practices.

“The use of and over-reliance on anti-riot Police personnel as major crime fighters in Nigeria should be drastically reduced. They should be withdrawn from roadblocks or extortion points and put to good use by being re-trained in effective crime detection, prevention and control.

“More attention should be given to the criminal intelligence department of the Force by way of overhauling and peopling it with more intelligent hands and adorning it with modern security or policing intelligence technology.

*In view of the fact that the Nigeria Police Force is an agency of the Federal Government, which makes the Federal Government liable for its lawful and unlawful actions within the context of the principles of vicarious liability, it is our recommendation that the Federal Government should refund these stolen wealthy or sum of N53.48 Billion to the Governors’ Forum of the zones according to the total amount stolen.

”For instance, the South-east should be refunded N32.26 billion, South-south – N8.32 bn, South-west -N8.32 bn, North-central – N2.16 bn, North-west – N1.21 bn and North-east – N1.21 bn. The refunds should be tied to strategic road projects in the affected zones or States to be called “unity roads.

“In the event of failure by relevant Police authorities led by Ringim to enforce the presidential directive, if approved, the IGP and all his sub-commanders including all serving DIGs, AIGs and CPs who are 50 years and above should be purged or weeded out of the Force.

“The headship of the Police Service Commission should not be spared as well. Also, the National honours bestowed on them should be withdrawn. We believe that Mr. President is also worried about this serious embarrassment and hope that such presidential directive would go a long way in addressing the problem of Police corruption in Nigeria frontally now.

“The attention of the Government of Anambra State and the State House of Assembly is drawn to the graft activities of the Anambra State Police Command and the over 1,000 armed vigilante groups in the state by way of criminal conduct resulting from the misapplication of the Anambra State “Okada” Control Law of 2009, which now is translated into “a curfew Law”.

It is our recommendation that efforts should be made to return the Law to its originally intended form and free the State residents from further agony in the hands of these graft infested security agents,” the report added.