ABUJA — Several residents across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Saturday disregarded the movement restriction order issued by the FCT Administration as the 2026 Area Council elections commenced.
Despite a directive from the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, and the Nigeria Police Force restricting human and vehicular movement from 8:00 p.m. on Friday to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, many locals were seen moving freely during the early hours of the polls.
Mixed Compliance Across Districts
Observations across major hubs including Airport Road, Kuje, Jikwoyi, and Gwagwalada revealed a significant level of defiance. Commercial drivers, particularly tricycle (Keke) and motorcycle (Okada) operators, continued their services, shuttling passengers to various destinations.
However, the restriction was more evident on major highways. Security agencies mounted strategic roadblocks along the Kubwa-Nyanya expressway, causing significant delays for motorists and forcing some to seek alternative routes. While many formal businesses and shops remained closed in compliance, small-scale traders and POS operators in satellite towns were seen conducting business as usual.
The Electoral Stakes
The elections, which are being held to fill 6 Chairmanship and 62 Councillor seats across the six Area Councils, saw a high level of preparedness from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to data from the INEC FCT office, of the 1,680,315 registered voters in the territory, 1,587,025 (94.4%) collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), indicating high expectations for voter turnout.
Security and Technology
To ensure the integrity of the process, INEC deployed over 3,000 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices across the 2,822 polling units. Accreditation and voting, which began at 8:30 a.m., were reported to be largely peaceful in the early hours, despite the logistical hiccups caused by the partial defiance of the travel ban.
Security officials have urged residents to remain law-abiding for the remainder of the exercise as results are expected to be collated at the various ward and council headquarters later this evening.
