The Nigerian government’s strong military and police presence in the southeast has drawn criticism from Nollywood star Kanayo O. Kanayo. Kanayo compared his trip from Ibadan to Lagos in a video posted to his Instagram page, claiming that he did not come across any army or police checkpoints along the 80-kilometer drive.
He said that people cannot travel 200 kilometres without checkpoints and questioned why the South-East is so heavily policed and militarised.
Kanayo also asked if delegates have observed the condition of federal highways and if the South-East region is still a part of Nigeria. He asked if delegates had observed the condition of federal highways and if the area is still a part of Nigeria.
He said, “I left the Felele Olorunsogo area of Ibadan at 7:15 this morning and I am in Lagos state at exactly 8:15. I found out one thing, over the distance of 80 kilometres, I didn’t see any police or army checkpoints.
“Why is the South-East so militarised and policed that you can’t go 200 kilometres without checkpoint.
“I need to ask this question because the humiliation and delay that people go through needs to be pointed out. They humiliate people that plied same distance from Enugu-Onitsha so badly that most of the time that passengers are asked to come down with their hands up.
“Is the South-East still part of Nigeria? Let us understand. Have the representatives seen the state of the federal roads?” he asked.