FCT Police Announce 6-to-6 Movement Restriction Over Area Council Polls

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF), FCT Command, has imposed a 12-hour restriction on vehicular and human movements across Abuja and its environs ahead of the Area Council elections scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026.

According to a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Josephine Adeh, on Friday, she said the measure was intended to ensure security and the smooth conduct of the polls.

“The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, Miller G. Dantawaye, psc., has announced a restriction of movement across the Federal Capital Territory from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Saturday, 21st February, 2026, in view of the scheduled Area Council Elections,” the statement read.

The restriction applies to all residents, except essential service providers and duly accredited election officials. The command also called on residents to remain peaceful and cooperate with security agencies.

“The FCT Police Command urges residents to remain law-abiding and cooperate with security agencies to ensure a safe, free, and credible electoral process,” the statement added.

Earlier, Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, had declared Friday a work-free day to allow residents travel to their communities to vote. Approved by President Bola Tinubu, Wike also announced a separate restriction of movement from 8:00 PM on Friday to 6:00 PM on Saturday, directing security agencies to enforce compliance.

Wike encouraged residents to turn out in large numbers and conduct themselves peacefully, expressing confidence that the elections would produce leaders committed to development and stability in the territory.

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that preparations for the polls were at an advanced stage, highlighting strong voter participation during the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection exercise.

INEC reported that 1,587,025 PVCs have been collected across the FCT, representing 94.4 per cent of the 1,680,315 registered voters. Kuje led in collection rate at 97.2 per cent, followed by Abaji (95.0%), AMAC (94.5%), Gwagwalada (94.3%), Bwari (93.5%), and Kwali (93.1%). Several registration areas recorded over 99 per cent participation, indicating robust grassroots engagement.

The commission reminded residents that only registered voters with valid PVCs would be allowed to vote. The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) will be deployed in all polling units, with results transmitted electronically to the Result Viewing Portal.

The FCT Area Council elections, the only local government polls conducted directly by INEC, will see voters elect six chairmen and 62 councillors across 68 wards.