Zuba-Kubwa expressway, one of the major roads in Nigeria’s capital city, is currently under the control of protesters, Daily Trust can report.
The protesters who blocked different sections of the road, are only granting access to vehicles with leaves.
As strategic as it is, the expressway is the one which leads to the Presidential Villa when coming from neighbouring Niger and Kaduna States.
Security forces have been dispersing the protesters for hours but they have been regrouping, making the journey tough for road users.
As of 4pm, our correspondent who has been monitoring the protest across the city counted at least seven roadblocks mounted by young persons in a distance of about two kilomoetres.
Both human and vehicular movements were restricted by the youths, who apparently identify leaves as a symbol of peace.
A convoy of a top government official which had about five Hilux vehicles had to park by the roadside to access the situation from a distance.
Our correspondent observed how security operatives on patrol dislodged the groups but no sooner than they leave that the youths return to the spots.
A Federal High Court in Abuja had restricted protesters to Moshood Abiola Stadium but while some protesters obeyed the court order, others assembled at different locations across the capital city.
Meanwhile, soldiers from Zuma Barracks in Suleja, a town in neighbouring Niger State, have reopened the Abuja-Kaduna highway to motorists after about five hours dominance by protesters.
An Abuja resident, Abubakar Ibrahim, who was traveling to Kaduna, had told Daily Trust how he was trapped on the road.
Ibrahim, who could not make headway on the journey around 10am remained on the spot till about 3pm.
He said soldiers mobilised to the scene after the convoy of an army officer in mufti was denied access.
“He made a U-turn in anger, and after some moments, a team of soldiers stormed the place and destroyed the roadblock mounted on the highway. The soldiers fired gunshots into air, forcing the protesters to ran away,”
Ibrahim said he learnt that an elderly person who was being taken to the hospital got stranded by the incident and lost his life in the gridlock.
Daily Trust could not independntly verify this as of the time of filing this report.
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