Ireti Kingibe, the senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Friday strongly condemned the unilateral imposition of a curfew across by Nyesom Wike, the FCT minister describing the action as “authoritarian, ill-considered, and unacceptable in a democratic society.”
In a press release issued in Abuja by Matilda Duncan, Special Assistant on Media in the Office of the Senator, Kingibe said the decision to impose a territory-wide curfew without broad consultation with critical stakeholders amounted to “a direct affront to democratic governance and the constitutional rights of residents.”
“The people of the FCT are not subjects under a dictatorship. They are citizens of a democratic republic,” Kingibe said. “Any sweeping restriction on their movement and livelihoods must be justified by compelling evidence, subjected to scrutiny, and carried out with transparency.”
While acknowledging the importance of maintaining law and order, Kingibe stressed that security concerns should not be used as a blanket justification for executive overreach.
“Curfews are only warranted when there are serious security breaches and there are none. This is only just Area Council (LG) elections,” she said, questioning the necessity of such a drastic measure.
Kingibe warned that the curfew, as announced, risks inflicting “severe economic hardship on small businesses, workers, and families who rely on daily income for survival.”
She also raised concerns about the timing of the directive, noting that international visitors, including ECOWAS parliamentarians, are expected in Abuja.
“ECOWAS Parliamentarians will be arriving for a planned 10-day extraordinary meeting starting on Sunday. Set weddings and receptions, planned functions, marked events and embassies” would be affected by the curfew, she said.
According to the FCT senator, decisions of such magnitude cannot be taken without due process and adequate consultation.
“Decisions of this magnitude cannot be taken without cause, consultation with stakeholders, and due process,” Kingibe said, adding that the Minister “should remember that he is not the first to administer this territory and this is not the first election taking place here.”
She called on Wike to “immediately review and suspend the curfew,” insisting that the rights, freedoms and economic wellbeing of FCT residents must not be compromised.
“The rights, freedoms, and economic wellbeing of the people of the FCT must never be compromised by arbitrary, authoritarian and draconian executive action,” Kingibe said.
The curfew, which was announced ahead of the Area Council elections, has sparked debate within the territory, with residents and stakeholders expressing concerns over its potential impact on economic activities and civil liberties.
