Vehicular movement on the Lagos airport road was disrupted this morning as members of the Farmcraft Centre for the Blind staged a protest to demand improved welfare and the reopening of their school.
Speaking during the demonstration, the coordinator of the centre who simply gave his name as Mr. Jolor said, the protest was prompted by years of neglect and the closure of the School of the Blind and Disabled, located in the PWD area of Lagos, which has remained shut for over two years.
He explained that many members of the blind and disabled community have been forced into street begging to survive, despite widespread criticism from the public.
According to him, efforts to get the government to revive the school, including petitions to federal authorities in Abuja, have yielded no results.
He said, “We are not fighting, we want the president to hear us directly because we believe he is a friend and a father. We know that sometimes information doesn’t get to him, but by coming out like this, he will hear our voice.”
The coordinator said over 500 protesters had gathered, with more expected from areas including Ikorodu and other parts of Lagos.
The group vowed to continue making their grievances known until their demands for education and welfare support are met.
This development caused heavy traffic congestion on access roads to the airport, leaving many travellers stranded and raising concerns about missed flights.
In response, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) advised passengers to monitor traffic reports before setting out for the airport and to confirm their flight status with airlines in case of schedule changes.
The authority also urged the use of alternative routes to bypass gridlocked areas.
FAAN apologised for the inconvenience caused and appealed for patience and understanding as efforts continue to ease the situation.
As at the time of filing in this report, the interventions to get the protesters off the road by the Air Force Commandant, Director, Security FAAN and management of the MMA 2 proved abortive.
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