The Nigeria Police Force, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command, has imposed a 12-hour restriction on movement across Abuja and surrounding areas ahead of the Area Council elections scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026.
In a statement issued by the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, the Commissioner of Police, Miller G. Dantawaye, announced that movement will be restricted from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on election day to ensure security and the smooth conduct of the polls.
According to the command, the restriction applies to all residents except essential service providers and duly accredited election officials.
Meanwhile, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has declared Friday a work-free day to enable residents travel to their respective communities to participate in the elections. In a broadcast, Wike said the decision received the approval of President Bola Tinubu.
The minister, however, announced a separate movement restriction from 8:00 p.m. on Friday to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, directing security agencies to ensure strict compliance.
He urged residents to turn out en masse and conduct themselves peacefully, expressing confidence that the elections would produce leaders committed to development and stability in the territory.
The police command also appealed to residents to remain law-abiding and cooperate fully with security agencies to guarantee a safe and credible process.
Preparations for the polls are said to be at an advanced stage, with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reporting strong voter participation during the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection exercise.
INEC disclosed that 1,587,025 PVCs have been collected across the FCT, representing a 94.4 per cent collection rate out of 1,680,315 registered voters. Kuje recorded the highest collection rate at 97.2 per cent, followed by Abaji (95.0 per cent), Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) (94.5 per cent), Gwagwalada (94.3 per cent), Bwari (93.5 per cent), and Kwali (93.1 per cent). Several registration areas reportedly exceeded 99 per cent, reflecting strong grassroots engagement.
The commission reiterated that only registered voters in possession of valid PVCs will be accredited to vote. It also confirmed that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) will be deployed in all polling units, with results transmitted electronically to its Result Viewing Portal to enhance transparency.
The FCT Area Council elections—Nigeria’s only local government polls conducted directly by INEC—will see voters elect six chairmen and 62 councillors across 68 constituencies.
Security agencies have assured residents of robust deployments across the territory, as authorities underscore the importance of maintaining peace and order throughout the electoral process.
