In Three Years (July 2020-July 2023), Deployed Criminal Security Forces And Other Government Extortionist Agencies Seized N2.2 Trillion ($2.7B) From Easterners At Gunpoint As Against N600B ($800M) Collected At Gunpoint By Non State Criminal Entities Involving: Police/Military Roadblocks N670B, Police Custodial Extortions N200B, ‘Crime Proceeds’ Converted By Police N60B, Squandered Govs’ Security Votes N400B, Extortions By Militant Government Agencies N700B, Military/Police House Burnings/Lootings N150B, Police Security To VIPs/Institutions N30B, Non State Ransoms/Robberies N400B And Other Crime Proceeds From Criminal Entities N200B-Totaling N2.8Trillion ($3.5B)
Grand Research Finding: Deployed Security Forces And Other Government Agencies More Criminal And Atrocious Than Non State Criminal Entities And Criminalities Constitutionally Mandated To The Former To Uproot And Contain.
The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has carried out fresh field studies which found that estimated N2.8trillion or $3.5billion belonging to hardworking, self reliant and lawful citizens of Eastern Nigeria was lost at gunpoint in three years of July 2020 to July 2023.
The amount had risen from ‘blue-collar’ corruption and other corrupt practices perpetrated by armed state actors and armed non state actors cutting across the eleven Eastern Nigerian States of Edo, Delta, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo, Abia, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Rivers a period covering July 2020 to July 2023.
The whopping N2.8trillion proceeds from state actor and non state actor criminal activities had come from police and military roadblocks N670b, Governors’ squandered security votes’ N400billion, extortions by militant Government agencies N700b, police security to VIPs/institutions N30b, military/police house burnings/lootings N150b, ransoms/robberies by armed non state criminal entities N400b and other crime proceeds from armed non state criminal entities N200B.
Added to the estimated N660billion police/military roadblock extortions is estimated N200billion arising from ‘police custodial extortions (.i.e. ‘bail fees’ and ‘cash mobilization’ for arrests, investigations and court arraignments).
Estimated sum of N60billion was also linked to gunpoint seizure and conversion of “crime proceeds” by various police crack squads across the eleven Eastern States (.i.e. gunpoint money transfers and cash seizure and conversion of the seized automobiles, motorcycles and other expensive personal belongings) especially those seized from the slain and the arrested citizens undergoing criminal investigations.
The totality of the above is to say that criminal monies have taken over security and governance duties in Eastern Nigeria
