Major roads in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, were deserted on Thursday as both commercial and private vehicles were off the road.

Although there was a heavy security presence at government facilities, including the Central Bank of Nigeria, courts, and the government secretariat, banks and government offices were closed as workers did not report to work due to the anticipated protest expected to commence today.

Offices at the Kwara State secretariat were also closed due to fears of the protest.

Our correspondent observed that shops and banks in major commercial areas of the town, including the General Post Office, Challenge, Murtala Mohammed Road, Maraba, Taiwo, Agaka, and Oja Oba, were securely locked as traders did not open their stores.

It was also observed that few petrol stations were selling fuel to motorists in the state capital.

Security agencies, including the Police, Civil Defence Corps, Immigration Services, Customs, and Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), were stationed in strategic locations, including the Post Office and Challenge, while an armoured personnel vehicle was stationed at the Kwara State Government House.

Our correspondent gathered that no protest was staged in any part of Ilorin, the state capital, including the Metropolitan Square where the protest was restricted, as of the time of filing this report.

However, it was also observed that a few private vehicles were moving on the route to the University of Ilorin in the Tanke area.

It is worth recalling that the state government on Wednesday night secured a court order restricting the protest to the Metropolitan Square in Ilorin.

A Chief Magistrate Court presided over by Alhaji Jibril Bio Salihu granted an ex-parte motion brought by the Attorney General of the state and Commissioner for Justice, Bar. Ibrahim Sulyman, restricting the protest to the Metropolitan Square, Asa Dam Road.