Military ‘Takes Over’ Enugu Airport Ahead Of Hunger Protest

Ahead of the planned nationwide hunger protest set for August 1, soldiers have established a significant presence at Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu and other key locations.

Naija News reports that the increased military activity comes as the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Wing announced that Igbo youths will not be participating in the upcoming protest, which is scheduled to run from August 1 to 10, 2024.

The Punch reported heightened military movement throughout Enugu city. At the Akanu Ibiam International Airport Junction on the old Abakaliki-Emene road, armed soldiers were visibly stationed.

Similarly, at Abakpa Junction and New Heaven Junction on the Enugu-Abakaliki road, an Armored Personnel Carrier equipped with surveillance cameras was observed.

Meanwhile, commuters travelling on the Keffi-Abuja expressway were stuck in traffic on Monday as military officers set up a roadblock to conduct a stop-and-search operation on vehicles entering the nation’s capital.

According to DailyTrust, the unexpected blockade occurred at the Sani Abacha barracks before the popular AYA roundabout, causing significant disruption.

The security agencies did not provide any prior warning before implementing the checkpoint, resulting in a massive traffic gridlock that extended as far as Nyanya Bridge, more than 12 kilometres from the roadblock.

This left many civil servants, traders, and other commuters who live in areas such as Nyanya, Karu, Maraba, and Masaka, and work in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), unable to reach their destinations.