Some of the residents told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the announcement from the Federal Government on the holidays was not clear enough.
The Federal Government on April 30 after the Federal Executive Council meeting directed that all government offices be shut from May 7 to May 9 to ensure free flow of traffic during the World Economic Forum.
The residents said they were forced to stay indoors following the restriction of movement, which came with a lot of misconceptions.
Mr Matthew James, a driver said that the restriction of movement was made because the government needed to conduct a census to know the population of Abuja residents.
“My neighbour told me that the government said we should stay at home because they want to take head count of people living in Abuja.
“You know the events of the past three weeks, especially yesterday made people to be confused, and everybody is living with fear,” James said.
He urged the government to always explain to the people its programmes so that people would also appreciate the efforts the government “is making to better the country’’.
Miss Adorable Ebo, a school teacher expressed displeasure that people do not seek for clarity before taking certain actions “and this is due mainly to ignorance and impatience.’’
“My neighbour stopped her daughter from going to write her NECO junior examination, saying that she does not want her to be kidnapped.
“In spite of the presence of security operatives she refused her daughter, saying that the reason there was restriction of movement was because of insurgency,” Ebo said.
According to her, there is insufficient explanation of the unfolding events to people in the simple language that they can understand.
Some residents expressed their desire to know how important the World economic Forum is that made the government to impose work free days from May 7 to May 9.
Others demanded that proper enlightenment should be given to the people to enable them understand some of these events going on around them.
They however expressed relief, especially after the panic of Tuesday on the snatching of a school bus at gun point at Nyanya that they were directed to stay at home.
President Goodluck Jonathan had announced that public workers should stay off work for the three days of the forum but not those on essential services.
World Economic Forum is an international organisation with a commitment for improving the state of the world through business, the academia and politics with its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
The theme of this year’s forum is “Forging inclusive growth, creating jobs” and it is the 24th Forum on Africa.
