FCT commuters stranded as fares surge over #EndBadGovernance protest

Residents of Abuja who left their homes for work today have been stranded due to the sudden hike in transportation.

For instance, the cost of transportation from Kubwa to Jabi used to be N600, now it is N1200. Berger Junction used to be N500, but now it is pegged at N1000. Berger to Suleja, formerly pegged at N1000 naira, is now N1500.

Many commuters, who spoke to The Guardian, revealed that drivers have taken advantage of the protest to increase their fares, and this has left many residents stranded.

One of the stranded residents, Kolawola Temidayo, lamented the exploitative nature of Nigerians in the wake of difficulty. He called on Nigerians to also change their attitude as they protest against poor choices of the government.

He said: “It is very disheartening to see Nigerians take advantage of each other in times where we are supposed to be more united. This protest is for all of us, yet transportation fares are skyrocketing. As well as protesting against bad government, we should also change our vile attitudes.”

Another resident, Grace Ameh, disclosed that she is unable to find a convenient Point of Sale (POS) kiosk to withdraw. She stated: “These prices are just increasing, and I’m stranded. To go to Zuba from here is 2000 Naira, before now it was 1000 Naira. The scare of the protest has made POS scarce. It is really sad that we are so hard on ourselves.”

In their defense, motorists disclosed that the hike in price was due to the scarcity of fuel, which is an offshoot of the ongoing protest. According to them, filling stations in Abuja have been closed down for fear of the protests.