Protest: Burnt tires, woods litter Abuja streets

There were burnt tires and woods across major streets in the aftermath of the #EndBadGovernance protest that hit major parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) during the first day of the protest, Wednesday, in Abuja.

The burnt tires were seen on the Kubwa-Zuba Expressway and along Dutse-Bwari Road up to a major junction leading to a post-army barrack in Kubwa.

Checks by The Guardian in some of these areas show that most residents opted to stay at home, waiting out the expected disruption of normal activities due to the protest.

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Although the protest is expected to last through 10 days, most of the major link roads and the expressways were empty of protesters and vehicles even as officers on patrol parked their vehicles in readiness for action.

While near-normalcy has returned in areas like Dutse First Gate and Bwari, areas like Kubwa have less human movement and activities.

Areas like the ever-busy Gwarimpa Junction and Galadima Junction were also dry of activities. Few hawkers and roadside sellers were seen, and long queues of tricycles, also known as Keke NAPEP or Marwa, were also seen waiting for potential passengers.

Even the popular NNPC Junction along Kubwa Expressway was a ghost of itself as the usual heavy crowds of passengers, businesses, and hawkers were not seen.

Filling stations were also locked; those whose gates were opened were not selling, even as fuel black markets lined the streets making sales.

Our reporter also observed that few communities waiting for vehicles at various bus stops were having a hard time getting rides as the streets remain empty with very few vehicles moving.

One of the commuters, who identified herself as MaryRose, said she needed to get to Area 1 in the city centre but she has spent close to an hour without getting any ride.

“Even the commercial vehicles are not on the roads. No protest is going on here but there are no cars. I’ve been here for almost one hour now and my feet are aching already,” she laments.