Across-section of Nigerians residing in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have expressed concerns over the mounting insecurity and severe economic hardship facing the country.
They spoke with journalists in separate interviews on Thursday while celebrating the Eid-el-Kabir holidays.
The residents, who thronged parks and other recreational centres across the FCT, lamented the increasing cases of kidnapping and banditry, as well as the rising cost of living, and demanded decisive action from governments at all levels.
According to them, rising living costs have made it difficult for families to afford basic necessities such as food, energy, and transportation, amid insecurity that has restricted freedom of movement nationwide.
Mallam Mustapha, a shopkeeper, said he decided to stop the tradition of travelling to his ancestral home for the annual Sallah celebration for safety and economic reasons.
“Travel to the village? Ah, it was completely out of the question this year. The transport fare from Abuja to my hometown in the north is nearly triple what it used to be due to the cost of fuel.
“Even if you decide to go, how sure are you of your security on the way?” he said.
Abubakar Mohammed, a resident of Mpape, said he and his family decided not to travel because of widespread fear of kidnappings and banditry.
“I usually travel to see my parents every Sallah, but this year I couldn’t make it because of money and safety issues.
“The government needs to act fast before things get completely out of hand for the common man,” he said.
Ali Saidu, who resides in Gwarimpa, said he usually celebrates such holidays with his nuclear family in the FCT.
According to him, Nigerians were unable to travel for the Sallah celebrations due to crippling economic hardship and security threats on major highways.
“Even if you decide to go, can your safety in the village be guaranteed?”
Wasila Sanusi, a civil servant who came to Magic Land with her family, said households needed to adjust their spending to make ends meet.
“People are prioritising important needs now. You can see that celebrations are more moderate this year.”
Idris Goni, a civil servant, said he decided not to travel to his hometown in Damaturu due to security concerns and high transportation costs.
“I used to celebrate Eid with my extended family, but this year I decided to stay back because transport fares are too high and there are still security concerns on our roads.
“The transportation fare now is almost twice the original cost. It is better to use the money on other items than travelling this time.”
Mr Goni said that despite the prevailing economic challenges, he chose to spend time outdoors with his family to enjoy the Eid celebrations.
“Sallah comes once a year and the children still deserve to be happy. Even though things are difficult, we just decided to manage and come out for today,” he said.
Also, Maimunat Adeyemi, a trader, said the high cost of food items and ram prices affected many families, adding that “many people could not even buy rams as they used to.”
Mr Adeyemi urged governments at all levels to work towards improving the security of Nigerians and reducing the economic burden on citizens.
“We want the government to focus more on the welfare of Nigerians. Things are becoming too hard for people, especially those of us who rely solely on salary to do basically everything.”
However, Aliyu Bello said he decided to come to the park with friends to unwind since the occasion comes once a year.
“We cannot just stay indoors because of the situation in the country. Life must continue, although people are spending less compared to previous years.”
(NAN)
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