But one of the soldiers manning the checkpoint who tried to give a different perspective as to why they stopped the travellers met a brick wall as the governor was angry.
“No, this is not right,” the governor said. “The government has not created an enabling environment for our people to get their national ID cards and you are here collecting N500 and N1000 as fine for not having what the federal government has not provided for all,” he added.
Our correspondents recalled that the military had in September last year issued a statement that travellers going to some states in the North East, especially Borno, Yobe and Adamawa must show their ID card to prove their personalities as a way of curtailing free movement of terrorists.
Though the military high command simply said identification card, troops in the volatile region seized the opportunity to insist on National ID Card which many passengers do not possess.
In the process, the security operatives compelled commuters to pay money in order to be allowed to proceed on their journeys.
The governor, while at Jimtilo, said he had received several reports about the alleged extortion at the Maiduguri checkpoint.
He therefore asked one of his aides to call the Theatre Commander, Major General Olusegun Adeniyi.
“Theatre Commander where are you?” the governor asked soon after the phone call was placed.
“Right now I am at the checkpoint near state university and we have thousands of people stranded and your people are here collecting money from people because they don’t have National ID Card. Why?”
Nobody heard what the army general told the governor, but after discussing for some time, Zulum directed the security personnel to open the gates on both sides to allow all travellers to move.
The Theatre Commander later arrived at the check point.
On arrival, he told the governor that the hold-up was because of an attack that happened earlier in the day and assured that he will investigate the allegation levelled against his troops manning the checkpoint.
But the governor countered saying, “I saw them with my eyes, I spoke with people that were asked to give money.
“You must know that the government and people of Borno State are behind you and your men, but you must call your soldiers to order, you must check their excesses,” the governor said.
“What happened today is quite unusual because I came here (Jimtilo) around 10am and some people told me they were asked to park by the road side since around 8.40am,” said Bakura Baana, a commercial vehicle driver.
“We are taking a patient to UMTH but here we are…We know they normally close around 5.30pm or when there was an attack or there is fear of an impending attack. However, today they didn’t say anything,” he said.
