The #EndSARS protests around Nigeria intensified dramatically today. Business and commercial life was brought to its knees in many places.
In Lagos, the country’s commercial capital, many workers could not make it to their offices as the roads were blocked as early as 8.00a.m. by protesters. The ever busy Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway for instance was barricaded at several points making it impossible for many people to access their places of business.
An auto mechanic, Ayobami Ojelabi told People&Power that he set out early from his residence at Meiran with the hope of procuring spare parts at Ladipo Motor Parts Market for a vehicle he is working on but began to experience blockade on the road at the Iyana-Ipaja axis of the road. By the time he got to Ikeja Along, the expressway had been completely barricaded by protesters.
Even the inner parts of the Lagos Mainland were not spared in today’s protests. Isheri-LASU Expressway was completely blocked to vehicular traffic by protesters who occupied the road at Igando Bus Stop. The youths at Igando were joined by more elderly people. One of the protesters, a 40-year old woman, carried a placard on her chest with the words; “I am Doing It For My Children.”
In the Alimosho area of Lagos, many school teachers could not make it to their schools. Many artisans could not honour their appointments because of the blockades erected on most roads.
The Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos which had been restricted to motorists because of maintenance work was completely shut today by protesters. Indeed, the city of Lagos wore a totally strange look this Monday than what Lagosians were accustomed to.
In many northern parts of Nigeria, routine work and business activity were held down by protests. The city of Dutse which is the capital of Jigawa State witnessed mammoth crowds of demonstrators who marched through Tasha–Bwari Road. The protesters carried placards demanding an end to insecurity in Nigeria. They also protested against poverty and joblessness in the land.
In Kaduna, vehicular traffic was seriously challenged on major roads as protesters marched through major streets. Demonstrators staged a huge procession to the seat of government, the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House . They protested the absence of security of life and property in the country on placards written in English and Hausa.
As at the time of filing this report, vehicular traffic which had been almost impossible on the Lagos-Ore-Benin Expressway was still terrible for the main part. At Mowe, on the outskirts of Lagos, travellers were still held up, several hours after the road was blocked. It has been almost impossible for travellers from the South-South, South-East, the North and other parts of the South-West to enter into Lagos.
Further down the Sagamu–Benin axis of the road, traffic has been held up for more than seven hours at Okada where youths had mounted a blockade. Indeed, many travellers from the South-South and South-East who set out for Lagos since Sunday morning were yet to get into Lagos by 2.oo p.m. on Monday.
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