CHUKS OKOH
Economic and business were grounded for over 7 hours Monday at the airport as over 100 disabled people barracaded access roads to both local and international airports in Lagos following what they called government neglect
They brought to a halt the usually bustling access roads to Lagos Murtala Muhammed Airport as over hundreds of blind and physically challenged Nigerians staged a dramatic protest, forcing traffic to a standstill and leaving scores of air travellers stranded.
The protesters, members of the Farmcraft Centre for the Blind, converged in their hundreds, wielding placards, chanting slogans, and forming an unyielding human barricade.
They came in various vehicles prepared to stay put at the airport until their request was met as they carried along with them foods and children.
According to them, their school has been closed since 2023 and government failed to meet their demands despite series of meetings and correspondence hence they decided to cripple the aviation industry where they said belong to the elites
One of the officials of the group, Mr. Dolor, said the demonstration was born out of frustration after repeated appeals to government authorities yielded no results.
“You can see them, blind people, disabled people, angry because there’s no welfare for us,” he said, his voice shaking with a mix of pain and determination.
“Many of us are forced to beg to survive, and even that is frowned upon by society. We have our own school, the School of the Blind, the School of the Disabled but it has been locked for years. We have written letters, travelled to Abuja, knocked on every door, but no one listens. So today, we have come to the road. If they will not give us education or care, then they must at least hear our voices.”
According to him the school is located in the Isheri area, has been closed since around 2022, leaving more than 500 registered members and hundreds more from other communities without access to formal learning or skills training.
He insisted, “This is not a fight. We are not here to cause harm. We see the President as a father. But we know that many things happen in this country and never reach his ears. Blocking this road is the only way to be sure he will hear us.”
The protest became uncontrollable when some security agents threaten to use force which led to the group taken over the access road by ordering their members to start lying on the main road.
Travelers, both foreigners and Nigerians were seen trekking long didlstances with their luggage as the protest paralysed vehicular movement on key routes into the airport, causing severe delays for passengers.
In a statement, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) confirmed the disruption, advising passengers to check traffic updates, confirm flight schedules with their airlines, and use alternative routes.
“We apologize for any inconvenience caused and call for patience and understanding”.
All efforts by airport security and the Nigerian Air Force to persuade the protesters to disperse failed.
The demonstrators, unmoved by appeals from officials, vowed to remain on the road until a representative of the Federal Government addresses them directly.
For now, the road remains blocked, the air thick with chants of protest and the hopes of a forgotten community resting on whether their cries will finally reach the corridors of power.