WORKERS in Abuja, especially those whose offices are located around the Central Business District and the Three-Arm Zone,  found it difficult to get to their workplaces on Wednesday as the police cordoned off the road leading to the Court of Appeal.

The police are yet to issue an official statement as to why the road was cordoned off but the development may be connected to the commencement of the presidential election petitions tribunal at the Court of Appeal Complex.

Workers coming from the Nyanya/Karu axis of Abuja were met with a heavy gridlock at the new Goodluck Jonathan expressway leading up to the Court of Appeal and then onward to the Office of the Head of Service, the Eagle Square and the National Secretariat.

Many people were seen coming down from buses and taxis to complete the rest of the journey on foot, trekking several hundreds of meters before they could get to their destination.

Those coming from the Asokoro axis met the barricade just before the Louis Edet Complex that houses the Headquarters of the Nigerian Police. Those going further into the town took another route while those heading to the federal secretariat and OHS had to walk the long stretch.

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command did not issue a prior notice to inform the public that the route would be closed to commuters on Wednesday hence the difficulty that a lot of people faced.

It is yet unclear whether the route would be open to the public today or would remain closed until the conclusion of the sitting of the presidential election petitions tribunal.

The ICIR contacted the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, who said that the FCT Police Command has an explanation. When The ICIR called the FCT PPRO, Anjuguri Manzah, he said he was on leave and could not comment. He agreed to provide the contact details of the acting PRO but he is yet to do so at the time of this report.

FCT Police Commissioner, Bala Ciroma, when contacted, redirected this reporter to his PRO. When informed that the PRO said he was on leave, Bala said he has instructed him to give a statement to that effect. The statement is still being awaited as at the time of this report.