Uyo Residents Report Police Extortion Amid Heavy Security

In Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State, residents have expressed concerns over alleged police extortion and harassment at numerous checkpoints. The Commissioner of Police, Baba Azare, stated that the increased police presence is necessary to combat criminal activities.

However, commercial transport operators, including minibus drivers and tricyclists, reported that officers engage in routine harassment, demanding money and using intimidation tactics. A retired police officer noted that the majority of the state's police force, approximately 4,000 personnel, are concentrated in Uyo, leaving other local government areas under-policed.

Drivers like Effiong UdoAbasi and Etim Ekpe Okwong described experiences of being compelled to pay officers to avoid intimidation, with checkpoints along major routes like Abak Road reportedly increasing from eight to as many as 15. A confrontation was narrowly avoided near checkpoints by the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital on October 24.