WHO IS REALLY SABOTAGING LAW ENFORCEMENT IN ENUGU? THE OFFICER ON THE ROAD OR THE POWERFUL CITIZENS WHO REFUSES TO OBEY THE LAW?

Enugu State, under the administration of Governor Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, has embarked on an ambitious journey to transform the state into a modern, orderly, and business-friendly environment. Achieving that vision requires more than infrastructure and policies; it requires respect for the rule of law.

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The Ministry of Transport, under the leadership of Dr. Obi Ozor, has played a significant role in this transformation. Through the activities of the Enugu State Traffic Management Authority (ESTMA), efforts have been intensified to decongest roads, improve traffic flow, remove obstructions, and promote safer road use across the state.

The results are becoming increasingly visible. Roads and major intersections that were once notorious for gridlock are now more orderly. Illegal parking is being discouraged, roadside obstructions are being cleared, and motorists are gradually becoming more conscious of traffic regulations. The Ministry has also introduced initiatives such as biometric registration of commercial transport operators, helping improve documentation, recover stolen vehicles, and support investigations involving hit-and-run incidents.

None of this suggests that the system is perfect.

Like every enforcement agency, ESTMA is made up of human beings. There may be officers who abuse their authority or act unprofessionally while carrying out their duties. Whenever such cases arise, they should be investigated thoroughly, and any officer found guilty should face disciplinary measures in accordance with the law.

However, accountability should not stop with enforcement officers alone.

Another problem that receives far less attention is the growing tendency of influential individuals, particularly some government appointees and politically connected persons, to undermine law enforcement whenever they are caught violating traffic regulations.

Many enforcement officers will tell you that some of the strongest resistance they face does not come from ordinary citizens but from people who occupy positions of influence.

The script is almost always the same:

• ”His Excellency must hear about this.”
• ”I’m going straight to Government House.”
• ”I will make sure you lose your job.”
• ”Your Commissioner will answer for this.”
• ”Do you know who I am?”
• ”Who gave you the authority to stop me?”
• ”Release him; he’s my friend.”

These statements are more than emotional outbursts. They represent an abuse of influence and an attempt to intimidate public officers from performing their lawful duties.

This raises an important question:

Who is truly sabotaging the government’s vision for a disciplined and orderly Enugu?

Is it the ordinary citizen who commits a traffic offence, accepts responsibility, and pays the prescribed penalty?

Or is it the public office holder who uses political influence to frustrate enforcement and send the message that some people are above the law?

The answer should concern everyone.

No society can build strong institutions if those entrusted with public responsibility become the first to undermine them.

Road safety is not an abstract policy. Every year, preventable accidents claim lives because some motorists drive against traffic, ignore traffic lights, obstruct public roads, or engage in reckless driving. Families lose loved ones. Children become orphans. Victims are left with life-changing injuries and overwhelming medical bills.

Traffic laws exist to prevent these tragedies, not to punish citizens unnecessarily.

If we expect ordinary people to obey the law, then government officials, political appointees, and influential citizens must be the first to lead by example. Public office should never become a licence to intimidate enforcement officers or evade lawful consequences.

This is not a defence of misconduct by ESTMA officers. Any officer who abuses power, extorts motorists, or acts outside the law should be investigated and sanctioned without hesitation.

But by the same standard, anyone who attempts to obstruct lawful enforcement should also be held accountable.

The rule of law cannot survive where influence is stronger than procedure.

History shows that institutions become stronger when leaders willingly submit themselves to the same rules they expect everyone else to obey.

If an enforcement officer is wrong, report the officer with credible evidence.

If a motorist is wrong, let the law take its course.

Justice must never depend on who is involved.

A disciplined society cannot be built on selective obedience. It is built when both citizens and those in positions of authority understand that no one is above the law.