Story from ABAH ADAH, ABUJA
Barely a fortnight after the 10:00pm to 6:00am curfew imposed by the authorities of Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa state came into effect in the area, residents, especially business owners in the area, are groaning under escalated hardship and despondency as the curfew continues to take its toll on social and economic activities, resulting in low turn over on businesses.
Karu, one of the fastest growing urban areas around the world today in terms of population and socio-economic activities on the Abuja-Nasarawa State border line has its headquarters in New Karu town which dovetails into the other equally commercially vibrant communities of New Nyanya, Ado, Masaka, Mararaba, Kurunduma, New Karshi among others, all of which developed as a result of urban sprawl from Abuja.
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It would be recalled that in an expanded meeting with security agencies on August 9, 2022, the chairman of of the local council, Hon James Thomas, had announced the decision to impose curfew on the area from 10:00pm to 6:00am daily as a precautionary measure against the plethora of security threats directed at Abuja, the Nigeria’s capital and its environs which include Karu, whose communities border the capital city.
Some residents and business owners in the area who registered their concern, though applauded the concern and pro-activeness of the chairman, lamented the timing, explaining that 10:00pm is way too early for those working with the private sector and are returning home before the curfew, while 6:00am on the other hand is too late for those who go to work early enough to meet up beating the terrible Mararaba traffic.
On the social front, the usual bubble and hustle along the ever busy Abacha road, Mararaba, centre of social activities and night life has been grounded.
Residents are lamenting that the curfew, coming at a time of unprecedented economic trough, would compound the people’s harrowing experience. Most of them opined that instead of 10:00pm, the curfew had better be made to start from 12:00am.
This is even as most residents say they were yet to see the impact of the curfew in terms of curbing insecurity for the few days it has been on as the activities of armed miscreants who terrorise and rob households usually between the the hours of 1 am and 4am continue unabated in the areas, especially at some distance away from the Abuja-Keffi Expressway along which police officers are seen arresting law-abiding Nigerians who could not beat the 10pm deadline for one reasonable excuse or the other.
It was gathered this kind of people, especially those who are not able to settle with them instantly, are taken to custody by police officers no matter how genuine their reasons are after which they are asked to bail themselves with not less than N5,000.
An economist, Joe Galadima, is of the opinion that the decision is not in the best interest of the local council. He explained that the Council stands to suffer loss of revenue and taxes, as a result of early closure of businesses.
“I don’t think the decision is okay for this time. The economic miasma, troubling our world today makes curfew on semi metropolitan council like Karu, inappropriate.
“Since the curfew took effect, anything from around 8:00pm social and economic activities begins to shutdown because people are scampering to get home before it’s the curfew takes effect.
“I think the curfew should be reviewed. Better still, if there are communities prone to violence, the area can placed under curfew, instead of widespread ban. This move, certainly, will complicate the already bad economic realities of the residence of the area.”
An operator of a popular leisure joint along Abacha road, who pleaded anonymity, appealed to Karu Local Government chairman to rescind the decision or review it, as their businesses can no longer meet it’s obligations to banks and other creditors.
“I am contemplating Kay off 80 percent of my workers because businesses are grounded. I can’t meet my obligations to my creditors not to talk of paying salaries.
Mararaba, especially, this area is relatively peaceful. I don’t understand insecurity on which the imposition of the curfew is based.
“For the records, most people visiting Abuja for business and other engagements, stay in this area because it is relatively affordable when compared to the exhorbitant Abuja city. I’m calling the Nasarawa state governor to prevail on the Karu Local Government chairman to review the curfew in the interest of the people. If employers’ in Mararaba starts laying off workers because struggling business, the curfew may end up achieving the opposite.”
Mustapha Abubakar, a residence of ‘One Man Village’ lauded the decision, describing it as long overdue. He however appealed to the chairman to review the curfew time, “If I’m not mistaken, more than 80 percent of resident of Karu Local Government have something to do with Abuja city centre.
“How do you expect those who work in hotels, restaurants and other non governmental outfits, who run shift to meet up with this timing. Appreciably, the curfew had better be scheduled to run between 11:00pm to 5:00am.
“My reasons are: by 11:00pm or 12:00am most of those closing from their places of work for afternoon shift, would have arrived their homes. Again, those living at Masaka, Auta, and even Karu, that works in town usually leave by by 4:30 to 5:30 in order to beat the daily traffic gridlock at Maraba and Nyanya, so as not to be late to work. With this, if you fix 6:00 terminal time for the curfew at 6:00am you would have inflicted pains on residents of the area. My appeal to the executive chairman of Karu Local Government, Hon James Thomas, is to please, review the curfew to run between 11:00pm or 12:00am and 5:00am.”
Below is the full text of the Chairman’s declaration:
Executive Chairman of Karu Local Government Council Hon James Thomas has imposed curfew in the council area from 10:PM to 6:AM to boost security.
He made the official announcement when he chaired an expanded peace and security meeting with all the security agents of the Council.
He said ” it has become imperative for us to take a holistic approach to curb or checkmate the security threat in our area, even though we are enjoying relative peace in Karu LGA but we must work tirelessly and take all security measures to ensure we live in peace, considering our proximity to Abuja and criminals are using that as an option to take advantage.
As such, we will take this as precautionary measures, from Thursday 11th August, 2022 till further notice, we will enforce a curfew from 10:PM to 6:AM.
This will restrict all movement of vehicle, closure of all Cinema, bar and joints, and all other activities in Karu LGA”, the Chairman revealed.
