The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, on Monday, directed his men to immediately remove all roadblocks on highways nationwide. The IG cited, among other things, the illegality of mounting road blocks even for the purpose of tax collection. Ironically, this is coming the same day the Federal Government is announcing the reintroduction of toll on Federal Hhighway.
A statement by Jimoh Moshood, the Force Public Relations Officer, reads in part
“The IG has ordered the dismantling of all roadblocks nationwide with immediate effect; particularly on the following routes, Lagos-Ibadan, Shagamu-Benin, Benin-Onitsha, Okene-Abuja, Kaduna-Kano, Katsina-Kano, Otukpo-Enugu, and Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressways”.
Moshood said the directive was to safeguard and guarantee free passage of goods and travelers throughout the country, adding that
“The IG has also directed special X-squads to embark on removal of other forms of illegal blockage and obstructions on highways and roads created by unlawful revenue/tax collectors, road transport unions, labour and trade related unions inhibiting vehicular movement and smooth passage of passengers and goods and other road users across the country”.
He stated that police personnel involved in vehicular patrol on highways and major roads across the country must wear their uniforms, a bold name tag and service number.
“For avoidance of doubt, the taxes and levies act, laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 section 2(2) disallowed any person, including a tax authority from monitoring a road block in any part of the federation for the purposes of collecting any tax or levy”
He also emphasized that the Assistant Inspector General of Police of State Commands and Heads of Departments must ensure all patrol vehicles carry legible inscription of patrol vehicle identification number and emergency phone numbers, for ease of identification and report of distress by members of the public.
“While monitoring and ensuring full compliance of this directive by all the personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, the Force hereby advise the relevant State Governments, Local Government Councils, Boards of States Internal Revenue Service, and various Transport Unions, Labour and Traders Associations that it is against the law for any organization to create a blockage to restrict or restrain members of the public the free usage of roads and highways anywhere in the country”.
However, Federal Government, through the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, while addressing members of Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria MAN in Abuja on the same day, said it would reintroduce the toll gate system on completed federal highways in order to sustain the maintenance of the roads.
The President, MAN, Dr Frank Jacobs, applauded the Minister for the on-going rehabilitation of the Lagos-Ibadan and Onitsha-Enugu Expressways as well as other strategic roads across the country.
Dr Jacobs expressed delight with the approval of N213bn Nigerian Electricity Market Stabilisation Facility aimed at easing some of the challenges in the electricity industry value-chain.
In 2015, Mr Babatunde Fashola said the Federal Government was re-introducing highway toll system to raise additional funds to finance road infrastructure and ensure efficient road maintenance. In 2016, his position was that only the National Assembly has the power to re-introduce tolling as additional source for funding road maintenance.
In 2017, the Senate Committee on Works on the National Roads Fund Establishment Bill, made a proposal for the return of tolls on federal roads and the setting aside of 0.5% of transport fares paid by mass transit passengers for inter-state trips to generate funds for the rehabilitation and maintenance of roads in the country.
Also, a levy of N5 imposed on every litre of Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) and Automobile General Oil (Diesel) imported or refined in the country for the same purpose was part of the proposal made.
