Anambra flays court order banning roadblocks amid insecurity

THERE are indications that government may contest validity of the judgment of an Awka High Court mandating it to remove roadblocks from every location in Anambra State.

  Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr. C-Don Adinuba, gave the hint during an interview in Awka, yesterday.

  According to Adinuba, the need to challenge implementation of the order in Court of Appeal stems from a connected duty on government to avert negative implications which complying with the order may trigger on the state due to the present security concerns.

  “We have a peculiar security situation in Anambra. If that order is implemented, we may have serious challenges. I will have to speak to the attorney-general and some security operatives to see if we are going to appeal against the judgement or if we have already done so,” he said.

  Also speaking on the court order, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Anambra State, Tochukwu Ikenga said the command has not been communicated.

  “I have not received any information on that. People call them roadblocks but to us, they are observation points in areas where there have been complaints of crime. This is a trying time for all of us and everybody should be patient. What we are doing is to address the security situation,” he said.

  It will be recalled that on Tuesday, an Awka High Court presided by Justice Ike Ogu ordered the state government and Police to remove roadblocks from major roads in Anambra State.

  Justice Ogu gave the order while delivering judgement in a case instituted against Anambra State Government and some others by one Francis Moneke who said road blocks violate residents’ rights to freedom of movement.