Commuters and motorists trying to beat Saturday’s Edo governorship election movement restriction got stranded at the Jattu junction on the Benin-Auchi-Okene highway of Etsako West Local Government Area.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the affected persons had anticipated that enforcement of the order would start from 8am, only to discover that security agents had blocked strategic routes before 7am.
A NAN correspondent covering the election reports that apart from the police, personnel of the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Immigration Services, and other paramilitary agencies were part of the movement restriction team.
NAN further reports that a significant number of heavy-duty trucks, smaller vehicles, motorcycles, and commuters were seen in long queues at the junction.
Some of the drivers who spoke with NAN claimed they were travelling from Abuja to Delta, but were refused passage by the security personnel.
Similarly, some of the commuters stranded at the junction said they had gone out of their houses to buy foodstuff for breakfast before going out to the polling stations to vote not knowing that they would be caught up in the web of the movement restriction.
Mr Musa Adamu, a truck driver,B told NAN that the army refused them passage in spite of explanations that they were only passing through Edo en route to Delta.
“I am coming from Abuja going to Delta and I had felt we could cross Edo before 8 a.m.
“I am surprised that on getting to Jattu junction we were stopped by the military personnel who barricaded the road, and refused us access,” he said.
Another motorist, Hakeem Saliu, said he left Benin early to cross the junction but was held there before 7 am.
“The security personnel said that we should remain here until the election is over and that is unfair,” Saliu said. (NAN)