Yuletide: FCT residents express concern over insecurity

Some residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have expressed concerns about insecurity ahead of the 2025 Christmas celebrations. The residents said preparations were ongoing, but cited insecurity and the rising cost of transportation as major concerns. A resident, Mr Chibuzor Charles, said that he had decided not to travel due to the insecurity and […]

Some residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have expressed concerns about insecurity ahead of the 2025 Christmas celebrations.
The residents said preparations were ongoing, but cited insecurity and the rising cost of transportation as major concerns.
A resident, Mr Chibuzor Charles, said that he had decided not to travel due to the insecurity and high cost of transportation.
“Last year, I travelled to my village in Enugu State with not more than N50,000. Now I will need to budget nothing less than a N100,000, just for transportation to my village.
“Instead of doing that, I will use the money to celebrate here in Abuja and send some money home,’’ he said
Mrs Tola Adeniran, a teacher, said her preparations for Christmas this year focused on early planning due to rising prices.
“I bought most of the items I need for the celebrations before price skyrocketed.
“I started buying non-perishable food items and small gifts for my kids earlier this month.
“I didn’t want to wait until the last minute rush when everything becomes more expensive,” she said.
Similarly, Mr David Oche, a public transport driver, said that he was preparing for the festivities by increasing his savings ahead of Christmas.
According to him, December comes with more expenses and, “I have been setting aside my daily earnings to enable me celebrate well.”
Miss Faith Okafor, a teacher, said that she started making plans earlier in the year for the 2025 Christmas celebrations.
According to her, the prices of some food items are better now than what it was last year, especially ahead of Christmas.
Mrs Joy Adebola, a seamstress, said she had already purchased some food items ahead of the celebrations.
“Last year I bought a big bag of rice for N95,500. This year, I bought the same size for N55,000. So things are a bit better.”
She added that despite the increase in the cost of chicken, she still planned to buy some for Christmas. (NAN)
“Chicken is very expensive, but no matter what, I must buy it for my family,” she said.(NAN)