Hundreds of South East residents returning home for Christmas and New Year celebrations were stranded for hours at a military checkpoint on Enugu-Opi Road.
Soldiers allegedly blocked the only access road, extorting travellers and causing chaos.
A video clip shared with The Bureau Newspaper on Wednesday evening shows hundreds of vehicles at the checkpoint, with travellers lamenting the alleged inhumane treatment they face at the hands of Nigerian security agencies, particularly in the South East.
Accompanying the video clip, the source wrote: “Look at the mayhem soldiers are causing at Opi junction in Enugu State.
“All they know how to do is to extort money from innocent Nigerians whilst terrorists dance Samba in Sambisa forest.”
A voice in the video can be overheard saying, “Please, somebody should call the 82 Division to tell the soldiers to allow people to go to their destinations. We are coming from the North and there’s nowhere passengers were subjected to this kind of horror and humiliation.
“Why is it only in the South East that you see this kind of militarization? Are we less Nigerians?”
The incident has sparked outrage, with many questioning why such militarisation is allegedly only seen in the South East.
Travellers are calling for government intervention, asking why they are being subjected to such treatment while terrorists roam free in other parts of the country.
The Enugu-Opi Road has become notorious for kidnappings and armed attacks, with residents living in fear of their safety.
This incident highlights the ongoing concerns about extortion, harassment, and militarisation in the South-East region.
There have been repeated calls for an end to the unlawful extortion of motorists in the region, with many checkpoints allegedly being used as opportunities for bribery and corruption.
Meanwhile, efforts made by The Bureau Newspaper to speak with the spokesperson for the Joint Task Force (South-East), code-named “Operation UDO KA”, Lt.-Col. Jonah Unuakhalu, were unsuccessful as he did not answer his calls.
He also did not reply to a text message sent to his mobile line seeking his comment on the alleged extortion and other situations at the checkpoint.