…Passengers Trek To Catch Flights As traffic grinds to halt
Activities around the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, were thrown into chaos on Monday as hundreds of physically challenged persons staged a massive protest over the prolonged closure of a government-owned school for persons with disabilities.
The demonstrators, under the banner of the Farmcraft Centre for the Blind, barricaded all major access routes to the airport, creating a traffic logjam that left travellers stranded, while some were forced to abandon their vehicles and trek long distances to catch their flights.
Eyewitnesses said that the protest began in the early hours of the day and quickly swelled to over 500 participants, with more arriving from different parts of Lagos.
The protesters accused the Lagos State Government of neglect and demanded the immediate reopening of the Farmcraft Centre for the Blind and its branches, which they said had been shut down for nearly two years without explanation.
“Our dignity is at stake,” one of the protest leaders, who identified himself as Mr Dolor, told reporters. “This school gave us a sense of belonging and an opportunity to live beyond begging.
“Now, for two years, we have been denied education, and all our letters and visits to the authorities have been ignored. This protest is our last resort.”
He explained that the centre, located in Isheri with branches across the state, provided specialised training and formal education to persons with disabilities, helping them become self-reliant.
“This is not just about a building,” Dolor added. “It is about the future of people who have already been marginalised. If our voices can’t reach the President in the usual way, this protest that has grounded the airport will surely get to him.”
The protesters vowed to remain at the airport until they received an official and actionable response from the government.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), in a travel advisory signed by its spokesperson, Mrs Obiageli Orah, warned passengers to expect heavy traffic congestion and urged them to confirm flight times and consider alternative routes.
The statement read in part: “Due to an ongoing protest by the Farmcraft Centre for the Blind, access roads to Murtala Muhammed Airport are heavily congested. We advise passengers to plan accordingly and stay informed through official channels.”
FAAN apologised for the inconvenience caused to travellers and assured that efforts were ongoing to restore normal traffic flow.
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