Security forces from the army, police, and Department of State Services sealed off access routes to the presidential villa in Abuja from as early as 7am on Thursday, restricting entry to residents, government officials, and persons with verifiable official business, following a threat by rights activist and presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore to lead a protest march to the seat of power if abducted school children and teachers from Oyo State were not rescued by that date.
Officers were deployed in large numbers at the two major access routes to the State House, covering the road from the Federal Secretariat and Supreme Court axis and the route from the Asokoro end. Motorists and pedestrians without legitimate reason to enter were turned back and directed to take alternative routes, causing disruptions to vehicular movement around the Three Arms Zone and adjoining roads.
Sowore had declared that he and supporters would march to Aso Rock Villa on Thursday if the children abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State remained in captivity. The threat prompted the security deployment, which subjected all visitors to thorough scrutiny and demanded identification and explanation of destination before permitting passage.
