Vehicular movement to the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, was brought to a standstill on Monday as hundreds of visually impaired protesters from the Farmcraft Centre for the Blind blocked the main access road to the airport.
The demonstrators, also including physically challenged persons from the School of the Blind and School of the Disabled in Isheri, Lagos, were protesting the prolonged closure of their schools, which have remained shut for over two years.
The blockade triggered heavy gridlock, forcing many air travellers to abandon vehicles and trek long distances to catch flights. Several passengers reportedly missed their scheduled departures due to the traffic standstill.
Speaking at the protest, the group’s spokesperson, identified as Dolor, said the action was peaceful and aimed at drawing President Bola Tinubu’s attention after repeated appeals to the government yielded no response.
“Our school has been shut for over two years despite repeated appeals to the government. We have written letters and visited offices in Abuja, but nothing has been done,” Dolor said.
The protesters lamented that the closure had deprived them of education, forcing many into street begging to survive. Over 500 visually impaired persons were said to have joined the protest, blocking key routes to the airport for several hours.
In response, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) advised travellers to check traffic updates before heading to the airport, confirm flight schedules with airlines, and use alternative routes to avoid gridlocked areas.
FAAN apologised for the disruption and appealed for patience as efforts to restore normal traffic flow continued.
