Chaos erupted at the entrance to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Secretariat in Abuja this morning as hundreds of local contractors, driven to desperation by months of unpaid invoices, blockaded the gates in a raucous protest demanding immediate settlement of billions in outstanding debts for completed projects.
The demonstration, captured live by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) around 9:40 AM local time, saw protesters waving placards emblazoned with messages like "Pay Us or No Peace: 360 Days of Fraudulent Delays" and "Don't Fund 2025 While We Starve from 2024 Work."
Chants of "Justice for Contractors!" echoed through the streets of Area 11, halting vehicular access and forcing civil servants to navigate through throngs of frustrated workers.
Eyewitnesses reported a tense standoff with security personnel, who formed a human cordon to prevent protesters from breaching the main building, though no arrests were made as of midday.
Organized under the auspices of the Association of Indigenous Contractors of Nigeria (AICAN), the group claims the Federal Government owes them over N500 billion for infrastructure works ranging from road repairs and waste management to water supply projects executed across the FCT since early 2025.
"We've buried our tools, lost our homes, and some of us have even died waiting for these payments," thundered Babatunde Seun Oyeniyi, AICAN's General Secretary, in a fiery address to the crowd.
He accused the FCT Administration of prioritizing new budget allocations over settling verified claims, echoing similar grievances that led to blockades at the Ministry of Finance just days ago.
This latest escalation follows a wave of contractor unrest that has gripped Abuja since late November.
On December 2-3, AICAN members shut down the Finance Ministry's entrances, symbolically placing coffins at the gates to represent "buried dreams and bankrupt families."
The dramatic action prompted President Bola Tinubu to direct Finance Minister Wale Edun and Accountant-General Shamseldeen Ogunjimi to initiate payments, with Works Minister David Umahi promising on December 5 that all road contractor dues would be cleared by December 20.
Yet, protesters at the FCT Secretariat dismiss these assurances as "empty echoes," pointing to a pattern of broken promises amid Nigeria's fiscal crunch.
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