Nnamdi Kanu: Abuja grounded as security men teargas protesters

By Dayo Johnson, Regional Editor, South-West, Kingsley Omonobi, Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Omeiza Ajayi, Steve Oko, Efe Onodjae & Alumona Ukwueze

LAGOS — Economic activities were yesterday grounded successful the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, pursuing the protestation led by Omoyele Sowore, laminitis of the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest, which is seeking the unconditional merchandise of person of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu.

As aboriginal arsenic 6:00am, the constabulary had already blocked each entree routes starring to the FCT, causing gridlock which prevented workers from accessing their offices

The protest, meant to beryllium peaceful soon turned convulsive successful the Maitama country of Abuja arsenic the Police and different information agencies fired teardrop state astatine protesters, who scampered successful antithetic directions.

It volition beryllium recalled that the constabulary had connected Sunday warned protesters not to spell adjacent to Aso Rock, the National Assembly analyzable and environs, threatening to woody with immoderate violation.

The protesters, including Kanu’s lawyer, Mr Aloy Ejimakor, and others had gathered astir the Nigeria Communications Commission, NCC, office successful Maitama chanting “Free Nnamdi Kanu Now”.

They were besides heard cautioning the Police against tear-gassing them conscionable earlier sounds of gunshots were heard and they scampered to safety.

Residents angry, workers stranded arsenic information men barricade roads

Consequently, the stampede, coupled with the closure of roads by the police, made question wrong the metropolis difficult.

Residents, who got stranded arsenic a effect of the gridlock caused by the face-off, expressed choler implicit the determination of information forces to equine barricades astatine strategical points wrong the city, a improvement which caused superior gridlock.

The gridlock was astir terrible for commuters from Bwari, Ushafa, Dutse and parts of Kubwa who couldn’t get to the metropolis centre.
Vanguard gathered that motorists on the Nyanya-Mararaba roadworthy were besides stranded owed to the information checkpoints mounted connected the road.

In the Sokale area, 1 of the motorists, Usman Jibrin, said helium had been connected 1 spot for implicit an hour.

“If radical privation to spell to the Villa, wherefore should it impact those of america connected the outskirts? Are they (security forces) frightened that radical would beryllium imported this greeting (yesterday) for the protest? This is punishment and God is watching america all.’’

Aso Villa nether choky information amid #FreeNnamdiKanu protest

Because the protesters planned to march connected State House, the authoritative residence of President Bola Tinubu, the full precincts of Aso Villa was locked down by information men.

Investigations showed dense deployment of information forces, including soldiers, police, and hooded DSS operatives, who blocked entree to the Three Arms Zone.

Stop-and-search checks were intensified, and adjacent Villa unit with parking permits were redirected distant from the complex.

Staff of State House coming from Nyanya, Maraba, Asokoro and Kubwa axis were prevented from having nonstop entree to Villa via the occurrence work extremity but were diverted to the way from Force Headquarters, backmost to the occurrence work gate.

A Villa worker wrote connected societal media astir the blockade: “Please tin idiosyncratic find retired what is going connected successful the Villa? All entree roads are blocked. Nobody is allowed in, adjacent with tags.

“The disruption extended beyond the Villa, with the Keffi-Abuja expressway experiencing hours-long gridlock arsenic soldiers halted postulation astatine the Karu Bridge earlier the Sani Abacha Barracks for checks arsenic aboriginal arsenic 4 am.

Civil servants and traders from Nyanya, Karu, Mararaba, and Masaka bore the brunt of the delays.
Similar hostility was reported on the Dutse-Bwari and Airport Road corridors, with detours announced for travellers from the airdrome country towards the Central Business District.

An advisory circulated among workers read: “Good greeting beloved colleagues, delight if you are coming from Airport Road to Central Area, travel Area 1. Security blockade from National Mosque.”

Security remained disposable astir routes to the Eagle Square, the Federal Secretariat, and the National Assembly to forestall immoderate disruptions.