Security was tightened on Thursday at the entrance and exit gates of the Presidential Villa in Abuja as authorities moved to prevent any possible breach ahead of a planned protest over the kidnapping of schoolchildren in Oyo State.
Security operatives, including personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the military, mounted checkpoints and roadblocks around the Villa, conducting strict screening of all entrants.
State House staff were required to present valid identity cards before being allowed into the complex, although no cases of harassment were reported during the security checks.
By around 8:00 a.m., vehicles approaching the Villa from different access points were subjected to rigorous inspection, with heavy security deployments along routes from the Asokoro and Federal Secretariat areas.
The heightened security measures led to significant traffic disruption in parts of Abuja as agencies intensified control in anticipation of the planned demonstration.
The development is believed to be linked to an ultimatum issued by Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), who threatened to lead a march to the Villa if abducted pupils and teachers in Oyo State were not released. The abduction, which occurred on May 15 in Oriire Local Government Area, has sparked nationwide outrage, with the National Union of Teachers (NUT) staging protests and civil society groups calling for urgent government action to address rising insecurity and protect schools.
Elijah Adeyemi
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