The Nigeria Police Force, Federal Capital Territory Command, has declared a 12-hour restriction on movement throughout Abuja and surrounding communities in preparation for the Area Council elections slated for Saturday, February 21, 2026.
In an official statement, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, explained that the measure is intended to safeguard residents and ensure the orderly conduct of the elections.
“The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, Miller G. Dantawaye, psc., has announced a restriction of movement across the Federal Capital Territory from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Saturday, 21st February, 2026, in view of the scheduled Area Council Elections,” the statement read.
Authorities clarified that the directive applies to all inhabitants of the territory, with the exception of essential service workers and properly accredited electoral officials who are directly involved in the process.
The command appealed to residents to uphold peace and comply fully with law enforcement personnel throughout the election period.
“The FCT Police Command urges residents to remain peaceful, law-abiding, and cooperate with security agencies to ensure a safe, free, and credible electoral process,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has declared Friday a public holiday in anticipation of the council elections.
During a broadcast, Wike stated that the decision, which received the approval of President Bola Tinubu, was designed to allow residents sufficient time to travel to their respective communities to participate in the voting exercise.
However, in contrast to the police directive, the minister announced a separate movement restriction across the FCT beginning at 8:00 p.m. on Friday and lasting until 6:00 p.m. on Saturday. He instructed security agencies to ensure strict adherence to the order.
Wike encouraged residents to come out in significant numbers to cast their ballots while maintaining peace and civility. He expressed confidence that the elections would produce leaders capable of fostering growth and ensuring stability within the territory.
In a related development, the Independent National Electoral Commission indicated that preparations for the elections are nearing completion, citing impressive turnout during the Permanent Voter Card distribution exercise.
The commission disclosed that 1,587,025 PVCs have been retrieved across the FCT, accounting for 94.4 percent of the 1,680,315 registered voters.
A detailed breakdown shows that Kuje recorded the highest collection rate at 97.2 percent, followed by Abaji at 95.0 percent. The Abuja Municipal Area Council posted 94.5 percent, Gwagwalada recorded 94.3 percent, Bwari achieved 93.5 percent, while Kwali registered 93.1 percent.
INEC further noted that several registration areas surpassed the 99 percent threshold, demonstrating robust participation at the grassroots level.
The commission commended residents for their cooperation throughout the Continuous Voter Registration and PVC collection period and reiterated that only individuals duly registered and in possession of valid PVCs would be permitted to vote.
INEC also confirmed that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System will be deployed in every polling unit, with election outcomes transmitted electronically to its Result Viewing Portal.
The FCT Area Council elections remain distinctive as the only local government elections in the country conducted directly by INEC. Voters are expected to elect six chairmen and 62 councillors representing 68 constituencies.
Security agencies have assured residents of comprehensive deployment across the territory to maintain peace and order, as officials continue to stress the importance of conducting a peaceful, transparent, and credible electoral exercise.
What you should know
The FCT Police Command has imposed a 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. movement restriction on election day, while the FCT Minister separately announced a broader restriction beginning at 8:00 p.m. on Friday until 6:00 p.m. on Saturday.
Friday has also been declared a work-free day to enable residents to travel and vote. INEC reports that over 1.58 million PVCs have been collected, representing a 94.4 percent turnout among registered voters, and only those with valid PVCs will be allowed to participate.
The BVAS technology will be used in all polling units, with results transmitted electronically, as security agencies intensify deployments to ensure a smooth and credible process.
