There was a heavy traffic gridlock at the Zuba and Nyanya parts of Abuja on Monday morning following the mounting of roadblocks by security operatives ahead of the planned #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest.
The roadblocks, reportedly set up by operatives of the armed forces just before the Army Barrack at Zuba, left thousands of commuters stranded as vehicles heading into the city center were forced to a halt.
Our correspondent reports that the blockade began as early as 7 a.m., with officers conducting checks and restricting movement in the area.
“People coming from Zuba to town have been stuck for hours. There’s a major blockade, and some drivers are turning back. Others are stranded with no alternative routes,” a commuter said.
The situation caused a massive traffic jam stretching several some kilometers, as motorists struggled to manoeuvre through the bottleneck. Many frustrated commuters were seen alighting from vehicles to continue their journeys on foot, while others attempted to find alternative routes into the city.
LEADERSHIP reports that the development came amid heightened security alerts in the Federal Capital Territory, following plans by activists to stage a #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest calling for the release of the detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
Residents have expressed concern over the growing tension and disruption to movement, urging authorities to balance security measures with citizens’ right to free movement.
As of the time of filing this report, security had not issued an official statement regarding the roadblocks or the resulting traffic gridlocks.
