Kaduna State Government on Wednesday blocked major roads linking the central market and other major markets in the metropolis thereby causing heavy traffic gridlock and forcing residents to walk long distances to their various destinations.
Daily Trust reports that the state government’s lockdown order, which has been relaxed on Wednesdays and Saturdays for residents to restock food and other essential supplies usually witnesses an influx of people at the city’s major commercial areas such as Ahmadu Bello Way and the Sheikh Gumi central market.
However, following a government directive to close down all major markets and make way for temporary neighbourhood markets to commence operation at selected government-owned primary and secondary schools, security agents on Wednesday blocked all major roads leading to the markets, such as Ahmadu Bello Way, causing heavy traffic in the process.
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Judith Sule, who had a bank transaction, said she spent over an hour in a traffic jam and had to park the car at a distance and walk to the bank.
The mother of two told our correspondent that it was unfair for the state government to subject residents to hardships in the guise of enforcing a lockdown.
“The government should have announced the decision a day before so that people can find alternative routes.
“But to come out in the morning having been indoors for a week and then face this kind of trauma is not only unfair but wicked,” she said.
Sanusi Adamu also told Daily Trust that he had to leave his vehicle at Badarawa and walk to Ahmadu Bello Way for a bank transaction.