Corruption and People’s Opinion on the Removal of Police Check-Points in Yobe State (Published)
Police checkpoint is one of the most dreaded sights by motorists in Nigeria due to the dominance of extortion over all other activities at checkpoints instead of the normal stop-and-frisk expected of a security agent thereby affecting the efficiency of the force in preventing, detecting and containing crime. Yobe state with its high number of Boko-Haram induced checkpoints is one of the states where strong reactions follow the removal of police blockades in other parts of the country. This paper attempts, using survey research technique to assess the perception of the people of Yobe state on the removal of police frisk-barricades from the roads as a means of reducing police corruption in the country. The research found out among other things; that people of Yobe state believe that the removal will tremendous effect in reducing police extortion that has direct bearing on the common man. The study recommends inter alia the review of police salary and welfare packages, introduction of technology driven frisking system and policing the police technique of fishing out corrupt personnel.
Keywords: Corruption, Extortion, Perception, Police