Edo election: Motorists, commuters stranded in Auchi

Commuters and motorists trying to beat Saturday’s Edo governorship election movement restriction got stranded at the Jattu junction on the Benin-Auchi-Okene highway of Etsako West Local Government Area.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the affected persons had anticipated that enforcement of the order would start from 8 a.m, only to discover that security agents had blocked strategic routes before 7 am.

A NAN correspondent covering the election reports that apart from the police, personnel of the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Immigration Services, and other paramilitary agencies were part of the movement restriction team.

NAN further reports that a significant number of heavy duty trucks, smaller vehicles, motorcycles, and commuters were seen on long queues at the junction.

Some of the drivers who spoke with NAN claimed they were travelling from Abuja to Delta, but were refused passage by the security personnel.

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Similarly, some of the commuters stranded at the junction said they had gone out of their houses to buy food stuff for breakfast before going out to the polling stations to vote not knowing that they would be caught up in the web of the movement restriction.

Mr Musa Adamu, a truck driver told NAN that the army refused them passage in spite of explanations that they were only passing through Edo en route to Delta.

“I am coming from Abuja going to Delta and I had felt we could cross Edo before 8 a.m.

“I am surprised that on getting to Jattu junction we were stopped by the military personnel who barricaded the road, refused us access,” he said

Another motorist, Hakeem Saliu said he left Benin early to cross the junction but was held here before 7 a.m.

“The security personnel said that we should remain here until the election is over and that is unfair,” Saliu said.