Femi Claudius‑Cole, leader of the Unity Party and a prominent civil society voice, has publicly urged the Inspector General of Police and security agencies to remove unnecessary checkpoints, citing rampant harassment and extortion at these points.
Claudius‑Cole accused Police officers of exploiting checkpoints as “money‑making ventures”, targeting taxi, motorbike, and commercial vehicle drivers for bribes .
She stressed that these actions undermine public trust in security institutions and divert police focus away from legitimate crime‑fighting.
Historically, checkpoints were used for health safety (Ebola, COVID) but have increasingly become venues for routine extortion .
Reports indicate that both police and military personnel exploit checkpoint access for financial gain, often targeting vulnerable drivers and traders .
Femi Claudius‑Cole is sounding the alarm on the systemic problem of extortion at police and military checkpoints. Her call to dismantle exploitative checkpoints is both a push for reform and a demand for institutional accountability. It’s a significant moment in the ongoing effort to improve governance and citizen–state relations in Sierra Leone.
Femi Claudius‑Cole is sounding the alarm on the systemic problem of extortion at police and military checkpoints. Her call to dismantle exploitative checkpoints is both a push for reform and a demand for institutional accountability. It’s a significant moment in the ongoing effort to improve governance and citizen–state relations in Sierra Leone.
Femi Claudius‑Cole is sounding the alarm on the systemic problem of extortion at police and military checkpoints. Her call to dismantle exploitative checkpoints is both a push for reform and a demand for institutional accountability. It’s a significant moment in the ongoing effort to improve governance and citizen–state relations in Sierra Leone.
