Christian worshippers in the Dutse-Kubwa area of the Federal Capital Territory have raised the alarm over what they describe as weekly harassment by operatives of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), who reportedly mount routine roadblocks during peak church hours every Sunday.
According to affected residents, the FRSC officials, attached to the Sector Command, regularly set up checkpoints between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., a critical window when many Christians are rushing to attend early morning church services. Motorists are forced to stop and submit their documents for inspection, leading to significant delays and lateness to church.
Worshippers who spoke with our correspondent described the checks as “avoidable” and “deliberately insensitive,” particularly because the same officers vacate the roads shortly after church services conclude.
Repeated pleas to the operatives to consider the impact of the operation on Sunday worship have reportedly fallen on deaf ears.
Our correspondent, who observed the situation firsthand at the Dutse Market roundabout, noted that the officials involved in the Sunday checkpoint operations were mostly Muslims. When challenged about the timing of the roadblock, one of the officers responded dismissively:
“You can wake up early. Wake up by 6 a.m. and go to your church if you don’t want your vehicle to be checked.”
When asked how he would feel if Christian officials delayed him during Friday Juma’at prayers, the official reportedly replied in anger, saying, “That is your business.”
He repeated his suggestion that worshippers should wake up earlier to avoid being caught in the checkpoint delays.
In an earlier response to enquiries from our correspondent, FRSC national spokesman Mr. Bisi Kazeem Adeniyi acknowledged the complaints and promised that the matter would be looked into. A top official of the corps also confirmed that the Sunday checkpoint operation was discussed internally and briefly suspended—but it resumed again just two weeks later, raising further concerns among residents.
What has sparked even greater suspicion, according to residents, is the fact that the checkpoint is dismantled immediately after church hours every Sunday, leading many to believe that the operation is specifically timed to disrupt Christian worship.
Community and religious leaders in the area are now calling on the FRSC leadership to investigate the matter thoroughly and put a stop to what they describe as “targeted and unnecessary harassment” of worshippers.
As of the time of filing this report, efforts to get an official statement from the FRSC Sector Commander in Abuja were unsuccessful.
