Confusion as Soldiers ‘Take Over’ Abuja Road amid Looming Hardship Protest, Video Trends
- Military men have reportedly barricaded the Keffi-Abuja expressway 72 hours before the planned nationwide protest in Nigeria
- In recent weeks, talks of a nationwide protest to express citizens’ grievances with the state of the nation have dominated the public space
- Legit.ng gathered that the stop-and-search operation on vehicles by security operatives left commuters stranded in Abuja
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering metro and government policies.
FCT, Abuja - Road users plying the Keffi-Abuja expressway were on Monday, July 29, left stranded.
This was after military officers barricaded the highway to conduct a stop-and-search operation on vehicles entering the nation’s capital.
Source: Getty Images
As reported by Daily Trust, the soldiers mounted a roadblock at Sani Abacha barracks before the popular AYA roundabout.
Security agencies did not give any prior warning. The blockade has caused a gridlock extending as far as Nyanya Bridge, more than 12 kilometres from the checkpoint.
Abuja: Workers return home amid confusion
Civil servants and traders who work in the federal capital territory (FCT) live outside the city centre in places such as Karu, Maraba, Nyanya, and Masaka.
After hours of standstill, many of them were forced to return home.
The soldiers' action is coming three days before the planned nationwide protest.
Watch the video below:
Legit.ng reports that Nigerians are grappling with hardship that allegedly emerged from economic policies and reforms put in place by President Bola Tinubu since he assumed office in May 2023.
Soaring inflation has eroded incomes and hurt millions of Nigerians struggling to meet their basic needs.
For these reasons, some citizens are planning nationwide protests from Thursday, August 1, to demand economic and political reforms, but the government is using all its resources to suppress them.
Expert speaks on govt's "dilemma"
Meanwhile, amid the protest threats, a public affairs analyst, Segun Akinleye, told Legit.ng that before the masses decided to hit the streets, it meant they had been "pushed beyond the walls".
He said:
"We can't deny that things are hard in the country. Everywhere you go, people are lamenting. So, if they decide to show their pains through peaceful demonstrations, it is within their rights, as enshrined in the constitution of the country."
Looking beyond that, Akinleye stated that it is apparent that the government is already jittery.
Akinleye explained:
"The planned protest, for me, has already achieved one thing, and that is that governments have admitted that there is suffering in the land.
"So, they know what hunger can lead people to do. Let's not forget the Kenyan protest. They (the agitators) see that as a motivation for people here to also hit the streets."
Furthermore, the analyst noted that it is within the government's purview to also be worried about the likelihood of the protest turning violent.
He reasoned:
"Governments have the right to maintain peace and order.
"Now, here lies the dilemma for the government. Stopping people from protesting will make it worse. So, they should allow people to do that.
"The police and other security agencies should be professional as any act of aggressiveness might escalate things. That's why I said the government is in a dilemma."
More to read on planned nationwide protest
- IGP gives intending protesters condition to allow nationwide protest against hardship
- IGP discloses those recruited to hijack planned protests, cause vast damage, details emerge
- End bad governance: ‘Nigeria’s problems beyond protests’, former presidential candidate speaks out
Protest: Military talks tough
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the defence headquarters warned against planned protests to demand effective government action over the current hardship in the country.
Defence spokesperson, Major-General Edward Buba, said based on intelligence at the army's disposal, the proposed nationwide protest would be hijacked by some unscrupulous elements.
Buba added that those encouraging the planned demonstration want to copy the recent Kenya protest, which according to him, was 'violent'.
Proofread by Kola Muhammed, journalist and copyeditor at Legit.ng
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Source: Legit.ng
