Security was on Tuesday beefed up across the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The security beef up was necessitated by the separate protests by members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria and members of the organised labour.

While the IMN members are protesting the continued detention of their leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, members of organised labour are protesting the delay by the government to announce new national minimum wage.

Our correspondent noticed that security was beefed up at the different gates leading into the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the Federal Secretariat, the Court of Appeal Complex, the National Arcade and the National Assembly Complex all located in the Three Arms Zone in the FCT.

Armed policemen, soldiers and officials of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps were noticed around the aforementioned locations.

Armoured vehicles belonging to the military and the police were also deployed.

The situation was the same at the military checkpoint in Karu, one of FCT satellite towns where a bloody confrontation took place between security agents and members of IMN on Monday evening.

At about noon, our correspondent sighted members of the organised labour at the gate leading to the Supreme Court Complex and the Presidential Villa.

Some of them were wielding flags of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress while others were carrying placards with different inscriptions asking government to take a timely decision on the new minimum wage.

Despite the heavy security presence, some of the workers were seen dancing to the loud music blasting from a loudspeaker place on a truck.

The workers’ protest was largely peaceful as it was carried out under the watch of security agents.

Traffic wardens had a hectic time controlling traffic around the affected areas. – Punch

– Oct. 30, 2018 @ 15:35 GMT |