The House of Representatives, on Thursday, expressed displeasure over the growing presence of security personnel without uniforms at major checkpoints in the South-South and South-East geo-political zones of the country.

This is just as they described the development as worrisome and a potential danger to innocent travellers across the two regions.

This followed the adoption on Thursday of a motion of urgent public importance moved by the member representing Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency, Hon. Ibe Osonwa.

There are claims from multiple sources of an increasing rate of security officers, especially from the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, manning roadblocks and conducting stop-and-search operations in mufti without name tags or identifiable ranks.

This practice violates the Nigeria Police Act 2020 and established operational guidelines, which mandate proper uniform adherence and visible identification for accountability and transparency in policing.

The South-East is currently battling security challenges owing to the violent campaigns of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

Many Nigerians have been killed in the South-East in the last couple of years, including Dr. Chike Akunyili, husband of former Minister of Information, Prof. Dora Akunyili, and former Presidential adviser, Mr. Ahmed Gulak. Both men were killed in 2021.

According to Osonwa, “The current trend of plain-clothed officers at checkpoints creates a dangerous climate of ambiguity.

“It makes it almost impossible for citizens to distinguish between genuine security personnel and criminal impersonators, thereby constituting a serious risk to public safety and national security.

“The House is worried over the rising cases of extortion, harassment, and abuse of power by some of these unidentified officers,” adding that the lack of proper identification makes it difficult to track and discipline errant personnel.

The lawmakers warned that failure to address the situation could put travellers at risk with Christmas and New Year celebrations just a handful of weeks away.

He noted that failure to enforce uniform and identification protocols “Damages the reputation of security agencies and erodes the already fragile trust between the forces and the citizens they are meant to protect.”

Following the adoption of the motion, the House mandated the Inspector General of Police and the Commandant General of the NSCDC to immediately enforce existing laws requiring all officers on checkpoints, patrols, and stop-and-search duties to appear in full uniform with visible names, ranks, and identification tags.

It also mandated the Committees on Police Affairs and Interior to summon the heads of the affected agencies to explain the continued non-compliance and to provide a clear timeline for full enforcement of the directive.

The Committees were directed to undertake an oversight visit to the affected regions to monitor implementation of the legal protocol and report back to the House within six weeks. (The PUNCH)