BY AMOS TAUNA, KADUNA – Kaduna, the capital of Kaduna State and former capital of Northern Nigeria has been temporarily shut down following the trial of the leader of the Shiite movement Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and the fear of breakdown of law and order.
Mostly affected are business activities in the city which have been brought to a halt as shop owners, banks, markets and other business concerns have remained closed just like movement of vehicular and human traffic reduced considerably.
Similarly, most of the major entry and exit roads to Kaduna metropolis have been condoned and taken over by security agents possibly to take charge and nip in the bud any planned demonstration by members of the Shi’ite movement demanding the release of El-Zakzaky from detention.
Civil servants and market traders that were able to find their way to town to attempt carrying out their daily activities were seen clustered in groups discussing the situation that has befallen Kaduna.
The Kaduna State Police Command on Tuesday warned members of the public to exercise more security consciousness as they go about their daily activities in view of the Court trial of Ibrahim El-Zakzaky on Wednesday.
Spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, DSP Mukhtar H. Aliyu, in a statement said that people going about their lawful business should be extra vigilant of their environment, persons around them as well as activities of suspicious persons among others so as to prevent miscreants from disturbing the peace of the State.
Some residents who spoke with Forefront expressed dismay at the development accusing the government of not taking proactive action to have averted the situation.
“It is unfortunate that in this hard times when Nigerians are feeding from hand to mouth that business activities have been brought to a halt in Kaduna thereby affecting millions of people who live on what they get daily,” one of the residents Bilyaminu Aliyu complained bitterly.
