Chinedu Agbodike, a citizen, has initiated legal action against the federal government and the Nigerian Army over what he described as “indiscriminate proliferation” of military checkpoints in the south-east geopolitical zone.
The suit was filed at the high court of Enugu state on June 17, 2026.
Agbodike is the applicant in the suit, filed his behalf and on behalf of citizens of Anambra, Enugu, Ebony, Imo, and Abia states.
Counsel to the applicant are Aloy Ejimakor, P.N Agazie, B.C. Anys, B.K Agazie, Chinwe Agazie, Eguzoribe Ozioma, E.C Eze, and Iloanya Florence.
The respondents are the chief of army staff (first respondent), Nigerian army (second respondent), attorney-general of the federation (third respondent), and federal government (fourth respondent).
The lawyer asked the court to declare that the “indiscriminate deployment” of military checkpoints and roadblocks in the south-east zone, which according to them, have allegedly resulted in harassment, extortion, and arbitrary arrests, constitute violations of the fundamental human rights of citizens.
The lawyer asked the court to declare illegal and unconstitutional the “routine” deployment of military personnel for checkpoints duties and roadblock operations in the south-east.
“A DECLARATION that the assumption by the 1st and 2nd Respondents of internal policing functions constitutionally vested in the Nigeria Police Force under Section 214 of the Constitution amounts to an unlawful usurpation of powers and is therefore unconstitutional and same constitutes abuse and violation of human rights of the people of South Eastern Nigeria,” part of the suit reads.
“A DECLARATION that the excessive militarization of Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo and Abia States amounts to an unjustifiable and disproportionate interference with the rights to freedom of movement, personal liberty, human dignity and freedom from discrimination guaranteed under Chapter IV of the Constitution, thereby violating the constitutional rights of the people of South Eastern Nigeria.
“A DECLARATION that the discriminatory profiling and targeting of citizens by the 1st and 2nd Respondents at various military checkpoints/roadblocks on the roads of Enugu, Abia, Ebonyi, Anambra and Imo States on account of their ethnicity, age, mode of dressing, hairstyle, tattoos, language, physical appearance or perceived affiliations is unconstitutional, illegal, oppressive and a violation of their Constitutional rights under Chapter IV of the Constitution, particularly Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.”
The lawyer sought an order directly the first to third respondents to “immediately dismantle, remove and discontinue all military checkpoints and routine roadblocks operating on federal and state roads within Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo and Abia States except where such deployments are specifically authorised by law and justified by exceptional security circumstances, in accordance with due process of law”.
The lawyer asked the court to order the attorney-general of the federation (AGF) and minister of justice to establish a panel to investigate human rights violations allegedly committed by military personnel at checkpoints in the south-east.
The lawyer sought N500 billion as “exemplary, aggravated and general damages against the Respondents jointly and severally for the widespread and continuing violation of the fundamental rights of citizens of the South-East Region of Nigeria”.
