FCT Poll: Travellers groan as soldiers block Abuja entry points

Travellers coming from Kaduna, Niger, and some states from the South towards the nation’s capital have lamented blockade of entry points into the Federal Capital Territory by the military.

While some drivers and passengers claimed that they were not aware of the Council elections, some claimed that they did not expect that highways leading to the FCT would be blocked.

Our correspondent, who moved on bike from the popular Dei Dei junction to Kubwa to Madalla through Dakwa, a boundary town between Niger State and Abuja, reports that many heavy duty trucks were forced to stop by soldiers.

They were stopped at a military checkpoint sited close to Dantata Junction near Dei Dei during the period the council poll lasted.

Daily Trust reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), had slated the council for February 21 – the date that coincided with the 4th day of Ramadan (Muslim fasting) period.

At about 3:20pm when our correspondent visited again, heavy duty trucks and buses observed to be traveling to other states via Abuja route still remain on the same spot.

Haliru Abdullahi, a truck driver, told Daily Trust that he wouldn’t have left Kaduna with the truck if he had known he would be stopped in Abuja, saying he was conveying some perishable to Nasarawa.

“I’m going to Nasarawa State. The soldiers stopped us when we got here 7:30am, and we’re still here till now. Had we known, we would have stopped in Kaduna till after the election”, Abdullahi said.

A bus driver, Kelechi Sunday, said he was not stopped in Abaji, Gwagwalada and other places not until he reached Zuba, noting that highway was not supposed to be blocked.

He said, “Since it is FCT election, we thought only internal roads, not highway would be blocked. But on getting here, we were surprised that our vehicles were put to a halt.”

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