Lawyers sue FG, army over military checkpoints in Southeast, demand ₦500bn damages

By Steve Oko

A team of legal practitioners led by Barristers Aloy Ejimakor and Patrick Agazie has filed a class action suit against the Federal Government, the Attorney General of the Federation, and the Nigerian Army over what they describe as the “indiscriminate proliferation” of military checkpoints across the Southeast.

The suit, filed at the High Court of Enugu State on June 17, 2026, was instituted on behalf of residents of the Southeast by the claimant, Chinedu Augustine Agbodike.

The plaintiffs are seeking several judicial declarations and reliefs over alleged human rights violations linked to military checkpoints in Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo and Abia States.

They are asking the court to declare that the establishment and operation of multiple military checkpoints and roadblocks in the region violate constitutionally guaranteed rights, including dignity, liberty, freedom of movement, privacy and freedom from discrimination.

They also argue that deploying military personnel for routine internal security duties, particularly roadblock operations, amounts to an improper overlap with the statutory responsibilities of the Nigeria Police Force.

According to the suit, the presence of multiple checkpoints has led to allegations of harassment and other rights violations, including arbitrary arrests, unlawful detention and extortion.

The plaintiffs further alleged that some residents are subjected to profiling at checkpoints based on ethnicity, appearance, dress style, hairstyles, tattoos, language and perceived affiliations, which they describe as unlawful and discriminatory.

Among the reliefs sought, the applicants are asking the court to order a review of military checkpoint operations across the Southeast, allowing only those expressly authorised by law or justified by exceptional security needs.

They are also seeking an order directing the Chief of Army Staff and the Nigerian Army to establish an independent mechanism to investigate alleged misconduct at checkpoints, including cases of brutality and unlawful detention reported since 2018.

In addition, the suit is demanding ₦500 billion in general and exemplary damages against the defendants for alleged violations of fundamental rights.

The plaintiffs are further requesting a public apology from the Federal Government to residents of the Southeast, to be published in national newspapers and broadcast on television.

They are also seeking a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants and their agents from establishing or maintaining military checkpoints in the region except as permitted by law or under a declared state of emergency.

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