Many shops, banks and filling stations among other businesses were shut in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, The Nation observed on Tuesday.
In many areas like Kubwa, Kuje, Gwagwalada, Dutse, Apo, Wuse and Garki among others, majority of the businesses were closed, making the city lifeless.
Places like Bannex in Wuse and Apo Junction in UTC Market in Garki, known for their hustle and bustle were mostly quiet.
Abuja residents in the living in fear of attacks by hoodlums, many of whom randomly attacked different parts of the city to loot.
The situation, The Nation observed, has caused hardship for residents in the nation’s capital.
The very few ATMs operating in the city were overcrowded because most of the machines had been vandalised in the past days, forcing banks to no longer refill them for fear of being raided.
“I have visited five banks today. And I traveled long distances to get to each of them, yet I could not succeed to get any money. I just wasted the litte money I had,” an exasperated resident said.
Most of the filling stations also didn’t open. The few that did experienced very long queues.
Another resident lamented: “We are really suffering now because things are not moving because many people are afraid of the attacks that are still happening in town.
“Prices of things have really gone up. Transport fares have double. I have been waiting for close to an hour to get petrol forr me.
“Things have to go up because most of our life depend on petrol, so with the scarcity of petrol caused by the fear of looters, most filling stations are closed, and the few that are open ones have long queues and some have higher prices. We are going to be having a black market situation,” she said.
“We don’t know what we will do if this situation persists and some of us run out of money and food. Most of us depend on our business from day to day to survive,” a resident said.
In Kubwa, where the hoodlums raided the National Youth Service Camp on Tuesday morning, military helicopters were seen flying around and low, causing panic.
Residents have been worried because it is uncertain how long the situation will last.
The Nation
