Dan Opara
The leadership of Youth and Students Advocates for Development Initiative,YSAD, in partnership with EaglePost Media and National Orientation Agency, NOA, with support from voice was on Tuesday, March 29th 2022, in Owerri, successfully held and concluded a one-day-sensitization-workshop for Transport Unions in Imo State on Human Rights and Traffic Rules.
The workshop was organized courtesy of the organization ably led by the Executive Director, Youth & Students Advocates Development Initiative,YSAD, Mr.Obinna Nwagbara.
So many members and critical stakeholders of National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Imo State Council led by the State Chairman, Hon.Comr.Sam Udeh (Ezeumuokorobia) were in attendance.
Some of the YSAD#tags are: “No Dey Give Money, always follow the Traffic Rules. #RoadNoBeBank, #StopExtortion”.
The Executive Director/ Chief Executive Officer, YSAD, Mr. Obinna Nwagbara, expressed satisfaction on the
ongoing campaign against extortion, harassment and intimidation of motorists by security and law enforcement agents tagged “No Dey Give; Follow Traffic Rules.”
According to the Executive Director, Nwagbara, ” The campaign is an all-encompassing project aimed at empowering you (Road Users) to know the basic things that would insulate you from exploitation, to empower you to challenge anyone who wishes to extort you and have the leverage to free yourself from the lecherous hands of dishonest law enforcement agents”.
Nwagbara said, “To obey traffic rules and affirm your right to dignity and economic freedom at all time, it is important that you know what those rights are and understand the relevant regulations in your area of business”.
He however hinted that YSAD and its partners, EaglePost Media Advocacy Group, the National Orientation Agency, Abia/Imo State Office and the National Human Rights Commission believes that if we are to make any meaningful headway in our campaigns , all efforts must be made to ensure that drivers and road transport workers obeys the law and keep to traffic regulations at all times for the sake of sanity and decorum on the roads.
Nwagbara, who made his address available to the audience, said, “There can be no excuse for recklessness as life has no duplicate and as a driver, you are just as responsible for your own life as you are for the safety of those in your vehicle.
While it is fair to challenge the law enforcement agencies on the illegal actions perpetrated by some of their men, we are also not ignorant of the obvious fact that several motorists make themselves easy target for corrupt law enforcement officer;
“By refusing to obtain the right particulars, driving with expired papers, failure to observe traffic rules, recklessness and ignorance of basic signs on the highway, many road transport workers make themselves vulnerable to extortionist officers who will simply ask for bribes using several guises and tactics”, Nwagbara submitted.
He moreso appealed to encouraged users of the roads to know their rights and always obey the laws of the land.
Continuing, the first lecturer, Prof. Steven Amaramiro Ahamefula, from Abia State University,Uturu, in his lecture, harped on the necessity of obeying and complying to traffic rules at all times.
From the Paper Delivered by
Ahamefula Steven Amaramiro, Ph.D, (Laws) Notary Public, Head of Administration, Abia State University, Umuahia Campus, he officially introduced the concepts of his paper, and taught listeners on the difference between Transport and Transportation,
Harassment, Brutality, Extortion, Corruption, Discipline and Indiscipline.
Others on his paper presented are:
Security, Growth, Development,
Traffic Regulations and Meaning
The Nigeria Police Force, even as he disclosed the code of Conduct of Police Officers, the Role of the Armed Forces under the Constitution. Also from his paper are concerns the Federal Road Safety Commission, the Vehicle Inspection Officers, VIO, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, the Human Rights, and it’s Meaning,
Concept of Fundamental Rights
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Motorcycle and Tricycle, the most abused Motorist in Commercial and Capital Cities.
Prof. Ahamefula, strictly warned on the needs to avoid what the organizers tagged as : “No Dey Give; Follow Traffic Rights” which from his analysis, asked, “Why Do Policemen Extort and by Implication Violate the Human Rights of Motorists”?
He moreso, concluded that the former Inspector General of Police, IGP, M.D. Abubakar, during the unveiling of the Code of Conduct for Police Officers stated that: “It was his desire that the Police Officer in the performance of this duty will keep his private life unsullied as an example to all, maintain courageous calm in the face of danger, scorn, ridicule, develop self restraint and be constantly mindful of the welfare of others, honest in thought and deed both in his personal and official life and exemplary in obeying the law, regulations of the force and the code of conduct and professional standards.
From his recommendations, Prof Steven, recommended that proper welfare measures should be adopted for all road marshals.
“I remember to have read how the colonial police in the days of West African frontier force which was inherited from colonialism after independence created a functional welfare department in the police force;
The welfare department were so funded that they moved around mornings, afternoon and night to deliver food rations to the police officers at the designated checkpoints;
Those days, it was illegal to jump into the road without permission. There were officially designated checkpoints on the roads and the police were so disciplined that none flouted it. Rations of food were served; uniforms were changed as often as necessary and any form of indiscipline were dealt with”, Prof. Ahamefula recommended.
On the issue of training and retraining, the University Don, stated that, “In terms of training, it should be for the security agencies and for the motorists. It is observably acceptable that Nigerians are indiscipline;
Therefore, training would help to educate and enlighten both the security agencies and the motorists on their duties and obligation from time to time;
Today, police men or generally road Marshalls learn nothing new but perpetration of injustice on motorist on the road;
They see extortion as a way of reward for all the internal injustices they go through. It’s a case of transferred aggression from their bosses to the innocent public. For them, it has become normal as against aberrational;
Let the authorities in the Police, Army, Road Safety and VIO’s train their men on the constitutional rights of Nigerians particularly, the motorists;
On the other way round, let the officials of the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers also indulge their workers in serious training on road signs and compliance to rules;
A cluster of further recommendations, if I should align myself with the Human Rights Speaker at Imo and Aba, the Imo NURTW should press for legislations against extortion on the roads;
File myriad of suits against the security agencies, online signatures, media/press conferences against security agencies and great march on the roads to alert the consciousness of both the people and leadership of these agencies on the injustices perpetrated on them on the highways”, he disclosed.
Prof. Steven, in his 29-page paperwork,
suggested new rules, techniques and even the mental psyche would be learnt and developed.
In his obvious references, Dr. Ahamefula, referred the audience on the
Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015. Amaramiro, Nwocha & Igwe; Enforcement of Fundamental Rights in Nigeria and the Unsolved issue of Poverty, Beijing law Review, 2019
Amaramiro A.S and Ogbonnaya D.U, Election Laws and Development: Thematics on the Law of Development (Nnabue ed.), Owerri, Applause Multi Sectors Ltd, 2017.
Amaramiro, Nwokacha & Onuoha; Corruption in Contemporary Nigerian Society: A Socio Legal Perspective, ABSU Journal of Arts, Management, Law & Social Sciences (JAMELSS) Vol.3, 2013
Amaramiro, A.S, Nwocha, M.E and Ibezim E.C.; Security and Quick Delivery of Election Materials in Electoral Process in Nigeria: A Legal Perspective. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention (IJHSSI), Vol. 10, Issue 5 Serie 1, May 2021.
Armed Forces Act, vol.1, Cap A20, LFN 2004
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Vol.3, C23 LFN 2004
Ezeilo J.N; Human Rights Documents Relevant to Women & Children’s Rights in Nigeria, 2008
Nwocha & Amaramiro; The Jurisprudence of Human Rights in a Global Context; The International Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities Invention, THEIJSSHI, 2021
Nwocha, M.E. and Amaramiro, A.S; The Place of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights in International Human Rights Law: An Appraisal, The Journal of Jurisprudence, International Law and Contemporary Issues, Faculty of Law , Rivers State University, Port-Harcourt. Vol. 11, No. 1 February, 2019. Nwocha, M.E. and Amaramiro, A.S; Economic Growth and Sustainable Development in Nigeria, Port Harcourt Journal of Business Law, Vol.5. Number 1, July 2018.
Okoro B.C: The Police, Law and your Rights with Police Act and Regulation, Code of Conduct, 2012, Lagos, Princeton Publishers, 2013.
Onyia L; Nitty Gritty of Arrest, Detention and Bail in Criminal Trials, Enugu 2012.
Udo N, Ogbonna, O and Amaramiro, A.S; The Effect of Corruption in our Contemporary Nigerian Society: A Socio- Legal Perspective, ABSU Journal of Arts, Management, Education, Law and Social Sciences (JAMELESS), Vol. 3, 2013.
Those at the high table as guests are:
“1. CSP Godwin Udom, DPP Orji Police Division, Owerri, representing the Imo State Commissioner of Police.
2.Barr. Ihunanyachukwu Okoroji, the Senior Legal Officer of National Human Rights Commission,Imo State.
3. SRC Nkem Ibezim, the Public Enlightenment Officer, with the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Imo State.
4. Mr.Emmanuel T. Asoluka, the Public Relations Officer, PRO, representing the Imo Attorney General/Commissioner for Justice, Ministry of Justice, Imo State, Barr.C.O.C. Akaolisa.
5. Mrs. Margret Nwoko, the Assistant Commander, Drug Demand Reduction Unit at the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Imo State.
6.Mr. Shehu Lamuwa, the Public Relations Officer, PRO, NDLEA, Imo State Command.
7. Mr.Nazzy Njoku, the Imo State Director, National Orientation Agency, NOA, amongst other respected persons.
One of the organisers who made the workshop a success was Comr. Nnamdi Elekwachi, Compere/Emcee, Monitoring & Evaluation, M&E, of YSAD.
Furthermore on the interactive session, the Chairman of National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Imo State Chapter, Hon.Comr. Sam Udeh (Ezeumuokorobia) who was unavoidably absent but ably represented by his Personal Assistant, PA, Sir.Dennis Tochukwu Nneji, (Egbe), in his remarks, expressed satisfaction with the positive heights social and mental awareness created by the organizers of the one-day-sensitization-workshop which was aimed at improving the traffic sense and road traffic management of men on the wheel (commercial drivers) in Imo State under the platform of the Road Union.
Sir.Nneji, who stood on behalf of all the motorists under the union, asked pertinent questions about the solutions and way forward towards ensure successful huge free road accident, harassment and intimidations against commuters by some security agencies (the Police especially).
He therefore appealed to some of the security personnels who usually domiciles on the roads, to desist from incessant intimidation and extortion of commercial drivers, added that the authority of the union under the mandate of the Imo NURTW State Chairman has sworn to maintain sanity amongst users of the roads in the state.
Responding to questions from the union boss, the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, of Orji Police Station, CSP Godwin Udom, who represented the Imo Commissioner of Police, CP, Rabiu Hussaini, disclosed that he has supported any form of extortion by Police Officers against motorists, added that the command in Imo has sanctioned over twenty (20) police officers who derailed from their statutory obligations of protecting lives and prosperity (ies) of the Nigerian citizens.
Also speaking, the Public Relations Officer,PRO, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Imo State, Mr.Shehu Lamuwa, in his lecture, condemned obvious activities of corrupt practices amongst some road users, especially some commercial drivers who deals of illicit drugs.
According to Lamuwa, ” I am using this singular opportunity to advise all members of the union and the general public to desist from their intakes of alcohol and drugs which often led to destruction and death due lack of it’s control on the body of the dealer”.
He said, “NDLEA was established by law to stand or be on roads so as to monitor, search and arrest any body seen with drugs. We are against unlawful usage of drugs. You are not allowed or permitted to handle any form of unauthorized drugs. We are responsible to ensure yours safety;
Please, educate your relatives, family members, union members and those closer to you to flee from parading hard drugs. If person or group of persons caught with illicit drugs, such persons must be arrested and must face the wraths of the law”, Imo NDLEA PRP submitted.
The third session was the presentation of a goodwill message from the Imo State Ministry of Justice, which was made by the PRO of the Ministry, Mr. Emmanuel Asoluka, who spoke for the Commissioner for Justice/Attorney General of the state, Barr.C.O.C Akaolisa.
Others who made their intellectual presentations at the workshop includes:
SRC Nkem Ibezim, the Public Enlightenment Officer, from the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Imo State and Barr. Ihunanyachukwu Okoroji, the Senior Legal Officer of National Human Rights Commission,Imo State.
The workshop recorded huge successes via questions, feedbacks and responses from the guest lecturers and the audience who were members of the Imo NURTW in attendance during the all inclusive one-day seminar intellectually organized by YSAD.
