The leader of the group, Obinna Nwagbara, made this known at a ‘reflection workshop’ organised for its stakeholders to appraise results so far achieved through its campaign ‘No Dey Give; Follow Traffic Rules,’ with funding from ‘Voice,’ an initiative of the government of the Netherlands, held in Owerri, Imo State, yesterday.
The group described the menace as alarming, inhumane, worrisome and intolerable. Nwagbara said: “It has got to a level where every Nigerian, stakeholder and group must rise to put a stop to the menace.
“The campaign is geared towards curbing the menace of daily extortion and harassment of motorists and road users in the South East, as well as towards police reforms.
“Our aim is to encourage active citizenship and civilian oversight of the police and other security agencies created by law, as well as the need to narrow the knowledge gap and boost the civil-police relationship.”
Nwagbara further expressed worry that after several months of intensive sensitisations, training, summits and workshops organised by the group to address the social ill, the results achieved are still minimal and not encouraging.
He insisted that the situation would compel the group to explore legitimate means at its disposal, including mass protest and litigations in seeking an end to the menace.
He, however, commended the state’s chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) on its move to ensure traffic compliance, regular update of vehicle papers and particulars on the part of its members and drivers.
The workshop had, in attendance, representatives of the NURTW; National Human Right Commission (NHC); National Orientation Agency (NOA); Ministry of Justice, Imo State; The Nigeria Police Force (NPF); Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC); Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC); eminent civil society groups; student unions and bodies; National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN); the media, among others.
