Residents in Abuja, the Federal Capital were met with a city under lockdown on Thursday as protests against bad governance forced banks and businesses to close their doors.
The demonstrations, which started early morning, were triggered by rising food prices and economic hardship. Bwari Area Council and the airport road axis were particularly affected, with banks like First Bank, Zenith Bank, Polaris, Unity, and FCMB remaining closed throughout the day.
Customers were left stranded, unable to access their funds, as ATMs were also out of service.
The usually bustling Bwari market was deserted, with residents opting to stay indoors due to fears of escalating violence.
Security presence was heightened in the affected areas, with armed officers deployed to banks despite their closure.
While official reasons for the bank closures were attributed to directives from headquarters, it is evident that the ongoing protests played a significant role in the decision.
The protest has disrupted economic activities and caused immense inconvenience to residents.
As the protests continue, the impact on the city’s operations is expected to worsen unless a swift resolution is found.
The situation resulted in reduced activities on the usually busy access road into the capital city, with security patrol vehicles deployed to monitor the situation.
