Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A medical doctor and public health advocate, Dr. Amaka Oforbuike, has documented a staggering 32 security checkpoints along a 105‑kilometre stretch of the Onitsha–Enugu Expressway, raising urgent concerns about excessive roadblocks, delays, extortion, and the overall impact on travellers and commerce. In a detailed post shared on her social media platform on Monday, Oforbuike listed each checkpoint, starting from the Army Gate in Onitsha down to Abakpa Junction FRSC in Enugu. Her observations have ignited fresh debate about the proliferation of security posts on one of Nigeria’s busiest economic corridors, which links the commercial hub of Onitsha to the coal city of Enugu, and connects the South‑East to the North‑Central and other parts of the country.
According to Oforbuike’s tally, the 105‑kilometre journey traverses multiple checkpoints manned by the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). The list includes familiar choke points such as Nkwelle Junction, Awkuzu Junction (with both Army and FRSC posts), Dunukofia Local Government Headquarters Police, Enugwu‑Ukwu Junction Police, Amawbia Junction Police, UNIZIK Junction Army, the Mopol base at Awka Junction, Amansea boundary Police, and the cluster around Ugwuoba, which alone accounts for five separate checkpoints including Police, Army, NDLEA and FRSC. The density increases around Oji River, where two Army checkpoints are positioned within a short distance. From there, the list continues with Ezeagu express Army, multiple Police posts near Nkwo Ezeagu and a tiles factory, two Police posts at Umumba Ndiuno, the notorious 9th Mile Checkpoint, Ngwo express Army, an anti‑terror squad post, and two Army posts on Onyeama Hill before the final FRSC stop at Abakpa Junction in Enugu.
Motorists and commercial drivers have long complained that the Onitsha–Enugu road, despite being a federal highway, has become a nightmare of stop‑and‑go driving, with some travellers reporting that a journey that should take two hours can stretch to four or five, especially at night when the number of active checkpoints appears to multiply. The economic cost is substantial: longer transit times translate into higher fuel consumption, increased wear and tear on vehicles, and delays in the delivery of goods. Transporters argue that the situation is particularly harsh for perishable goods moving from the agrarian communities of Enugu State to the large Onitsha markets, but the delays affect all travellers.
Dr. Oforbuike’s intervention has drawn reactions from security analysts, civil society groups and road users. While acknowledging that security checkpoints are necessary in a country battling kidnapping, armed robbery and insurgency, experts question the sheer number of posts on a single highway. Some checkpoints are located within sight of each other, a pattern that suggests duplication of effort and a lack of coordination among agencies. A former commander of the Federal Highway Patrol, who spoke on condition of anonymity, admitted that overlapping mandates often lead to friction and, in some cases, competition for unofficial revenue. “You have the Army, the Police, the FRSC and the NDLEA all claiming the right to stop vehicles. Each agency has its own legitimate concerns, but the cumulative effect on the traveller is overwhelming,” he said.
The Federal Road Safety Corps, which operates several checkpoints along the route, has defended its presence as necessary to enforce speed limits, check vehicle roadworthiness and prevent reckless driving, which is a major cause of accidents on the hilly sections of the Enugu–Onitsha road. However, the FRSC has also been accused of setting up checkpoints primarily to issue arbitrary fines, a charge it has repeatedly denied. The Nigerian Army and the Police have cited the need to combat kidnapping and armed robbery, which continue to plague sections of the highway, particularly around the Oji River and Ugwuoba areas. Yet critics argue that a well‑coordinated mobile patrol would be more effective than stationary checkpoints that slow traffic to a crawl.
In her post, Dr. Oforbuike did not call for the outright removal of all checkpoints but rather for a review of their operations to reduce redundancy and improve efficiency. She suggested that multiple checkpoints could be merged, that agencies could share intelligence instead of setting up separate posts, and that technology such as closed‑circuit cameras and drones could supplement physical checkpoints. Her call has been echoed by the Nigerian Bar Association’s Enugu branch, which has previously documented cases of extortion at roadblocks and has called for the enforcement of the Federal Government’s directive that only checkpoints approved by the Inspector‑General of Police should operate.
The Anambra and Enugu State Governments have yet to issue official statements on Dr. Oforbuike’s findings, but the issue is likely to be raised at the next South‑East Governors’ Forum meeting. Meanwhile, commuters continue to endure the daily ordeal of 32 stops, each one an opportunity for delay, harassment, or the loss of hard‑earned money. As one exasperated driver put it, “You don’t know whether you are travelling or being processed through a factory assembly line.” Dr. Oforbuike’s list is a factual indictment of a system that has lost its way. The question now is whether the authorities will act before the next traveller adds a 33rd checkpoint to her list.
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