Deserted roads characterized the scene in Ilorin, Kwara State’s capital on Thursday as both commercial and private vehicles stayed off the road. Despite a heavy security presence at government facilities such as the Central Bank of Nigeria, courts, and the government secretariat, banks and government offices remained closed due to the absence of workers reporting to work in anticipation of the protest scheduled to kick off today.
Closures were also seen at the Kwara State secretariat, coinciding with fears of the protest. Furthermore, shops and banks in significant commercial areas of the town—including the General Post Office, Challenge, Murtala Mohammed Road, Maraba, Taiwo, Agaka, and Oja Oba—were securely locked, with traders opting to keep their stores shut.
Observations noted only a few petrol stations selling fuel to motorists in the state capital. Security agencies, such as the Police, Civil Defence Corps, Immigration Services, Customs, and Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), were strategically positioned across locations like the Post Office and Challenge. An armored personnel vehicle was also spotted at the Kwara State Government House.
As of the report’s filing time, no protest had been staged in any part of Ilorin, including the Metropolitan Square where the protest was supposed to occur. However, a small number of private vehicles were seen moving along the route to the University of Ilorin in the Tanke area.
Recall that the state government obtained a court order on Wednesday night restricting the protest solely to the Metropolitan Square in Ilorin. Alhaji Jibril Bio Salihu, presiding over the Chief Magistrate Court, granted an ex-parte motion filed by the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Bar. Ibrahim Sulyman, limiting the protest to the Metropolitan Square on Asa Dam Road.