Following an intensive field operation on Monday, 22 June 2026, the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, has initiated a sweeping crackdown against unauthorized road blockades, extortion, and indiscipline within the ranks of the command.

The police boss personally led a high-powered team of senior officers on a statewide monitoring and inspection tour of major highways. The operation covered strategic transit corridors, including the busy East-West Road spanning Ikwerre and Emohua Local Government Areas, as well as critical boundary points near the Rivers-Imo border.

The crackdown aligns strictly with the national directives issued by the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, aimed at reforming highway policing, eradicating motorist harassment, and restoring public confidence in law enforcement.

During the tour, THENEWSCREDIT  reports that CP Adepoju directly confronted several operatives found obstructing traffic and operating unapproved checkpoints. The Commissioner ordered the immediate dismantling of the illegal structures and directed that the identities, ranks, and commands of the violating officers be documented for immediate disciplinary action at the state headquarters.

"We have directed that nobody should block the road," Adepoju stated while addressing journalists at the Rivers-Imo boundary. "Our men are deployed on the highways primarily to ensure the safety and security of citizens, not to disrupt the free flow of traffic or bring the image of the Nigeria Police Force into disrepute."

The command has warned that supervisors, including Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) and tactical unit commanders, will be held accountable for infractions committed by personnel under their watch. Moving forward, highway patrol officers must carry out professional stop-and-search operations without creating blockades or gridlocks.

Furthermore, any officer caught on duty improperly dressed or without a clearly visible official name tag will face severe administrative sanctions. While noting that compliance has significantly improved and illegal checkpoints have dropped along key corridors, the CP assured residents that the monitoring exercises will remain continuous and unscheduled.

The enforcement drive on 22 June 2026 has drawn widespread reactions from the motoring public and transport unions, who have long complained about man-hours lost to illegal highway shakedowns.

Representatives of local transport unions lauded the CP`s physical presence on the highways. They noted that removing extortion bottlenecks along the Port Harcourt-Aba and East-West corridors will significantly lower transport costs and prevent artificial gridlocks.

Several interstate drivers expressed relief, stating that the reduction of illegal checkpoints will safeguard them against aggressive roadside intimidation. However, they urged the command to sustain the unscheduled visits, noting that errant personnel often return to the roads once monitoring teams leave the area.

The Rivers State Police Command has assured residents that these oversight inspections will remain continuous and unannounced to ensure permanent compliance across all local government areas.