Banks in the Bwari Area Council and along the airport road in Abuja remained closed on Thursday, leaving many customers unable to carry out their financial activities. This disruption was caused by ongoing protests aimed at ending bad governance in Nigeria.
The protests, which started early Thursday morning, were organized to highlight the increasing hunger and declining purchasing power of the population. The demonstrations quickly affected local businesses, including banks.
At the First Bank of Nigeria branch, a private security guard explained, “We are not open yet, we are still waiting for the order to do so.” When questioned about the unusual closure at 9:30 am on a workday, he added, “Today is different, you know what is happening in the country now.”
Similar scenes were observed at other banks, including Zenith Bank, Polaris, Unity, and FCMB. Many customers were left outside, frustrated by their inability to access their funds. One customer expressed their frustration, saying, “This is unfortunate. I have been standing here for hours waiting for money, but nothing is forthcoming.”
The protests also caused widespread fear of violence, leading to deserted streets and a significant impact on the major market in Bwari. Many residents opted for panic buying, choosing to stay home rather than risk venturing out.
A Point of Sale operator named Matilda shared her cautious approach: “I’m not in a hurry to open my shop this morning because many persons are still in their homes. People are not moving about now.”
Along the busy airport road, several banks, including GT Bank, Stanbic IBTC, United Bank of Africa, and Zenith Bank, also remained closed. Bank staff were instructed to stay at home, following directives from their headquarters. Despite the closures, there was a heavy security presence at the banks.
Customers who arrived for transactions were turned away, and even the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) stands were shut down. Reports indicated reduced activity on the usually busy access road into the capital, with security patrol vehicles visible throughout the city.
