Residents groan as checkpoints increase in Warri

Residents of Warri, Delta State continued their agony over the increasing number of police checkpoints in the city on Monday.From the busy Effurun/Sapele Road, Airport Road and the major PTI access road that leads to DSC expressway, the situation was the same as commuters stayed under the scorching sun in the ensuing gridlock.However, the increasing roadblocks, residents say, have not reduced the rate of armed robbery and kidnappings in the oil-rich city as over 15 persons were killed by bandits in the past three weeks while several others had been abducted.A robbery operation which lasted several hours on Sunday caused pandemonium along the Warri/Sapele Road and brought economic activities to a standstill.The robbers, who dressed in military outfits, killed four persons and injured several others.There was no visible police presence at the scene hours after the robbery operation in a road where the popular Enerhen Police Station is located.Also six persons, including a couple and their unborn child were killed on Saturday at the Warri Main Market.The bandits later carted away gold trinkets and other valuable items said to be worth millions of naira from the scene.But Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has assured the people of the state that their agony would soon end.In a broadcast on the state-owned television station on Sunday night, Uduaghan said he was not oblivious of the security challenges being confronted by residents of the state.He said, We are taking the security situation very seriously. I have charged the security agencies to tighten all loose security ends. In doing so, I understand that there have been some discomfort to our people; this is only temporary.
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