By Ademola Tijani
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr Nyesom Wike may have made good his vow to make life uncomfortable for the August 1 protesters in Abuja, as soldiers of the Nigerian Army from the famous Abacha Barracks in the nation’s capital this morning (Monday, July 29) took over the strategic Keffi-Abuja Expressway, barely seventy-two hours to start of the nationwide protest on August 1.
Daily Query reports that commuters traveling on the Keffi-Abuja expressway faced severe traffic congestion as military officers established a roadblock for a stop-and-search operation on vehicles entering the nation’s capital.
The unanticipated blockade occurred at the Sani Abacha barracks, just before the well-known AYA roundabout, leading to significant disruptions.
Army implemented this checkpoint without any prior warning, causing a massive traffic jam that stretched back to the Nyanya Bridge, which is more than 12 kilometers away from the roadblock.
As a result, numerous civil servants, traders, and other commuters from areas such as Nyanya, Karu, Maraba and Masaka, who commute to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), were unable to reach their destinations.
After enduring hours of gridlock, many commuters abandoned their journeys and returned home.
This unexpected roadblock comes just three days before the scheduled August 1 nationwide protest against economic hardship in Nigeria.
Several youth groups have announced their intention to commence the protest on August 1, highlighting the rising cost of living and economic challenges as their main reasons for demonstrating.
The heightened military presence and the ensuing traffic chaos have intensified the already mounting tensions ahead of the planned protest. No official statement from the military authority regarding this.
