Operations at the National Assembly were brought to a standstill on Wednesday as angry local contractors, lawyers, and civil society activists barricaded the main entrances to the complex in protest over alleged unpaid debts running into about N3 trillion.
As reported by PUNCH, the protesters, who claimed to have executed various Federal Government projects, blocked all access routes leading into the Assembly, grounding vehicular movement from the complex through the Federal Secretariat axis in Abuja.
Lawmakers, staff, and visitors were stranded, with plenary and committee sessions delayed as security operatives struggled to manage the situation.
Chanting solidarity songs and displaying placards, the protesters vowed to continue their blockade until the Federal Government settles their outstanding payments.
National President of the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria, Jackson Nwosu, who led the protest, accused the government of failing to honour several promises made to them despite repeated appeals.
“We are here because the Federal Government has refused to pay contractors. These are capital projects already executed. We have been pursuing this payment since 2024, and our association alone is being owed over N3 trillion,” Nwosu said.
He added that several meetings had been held with top government officials, including the Ministry of Finance, the Accountant-General of the Federation, and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, but without success.
“We have been assured several times that our matter will be resolved, but nothing has been done. We learnt the delay is from the Presidency. Until our alerts drop, we won’t leave this gate,” he insisted.
The protest, which entered its second day, came barely 24 hours after a similar blockade forced the suspension of plenary on Tuesday.
Inside the Assembly, the House of Representatives reportedly went into a closed-door session shortly after convening on Wednesday.
Discussions were said to have centred on the lingering debt controversy and its implications for ongoing legislative business.
The session, which lasted over two hours, later shifted to Room 028 for further deliberations. As of 3:00 p.m., no official statement had been issued.
The contractors claim the unpaid funds are tied to verified projects executed under the Federal Government’s 2025 capital releases. They accused authorities of repeatedly shifting payment deadlines despite completing all verification processes.
The protest caused heavy traffic around the Three Arms Zone, with calls mounting on the government to urgently intervene to prevent further disruption of legislative activities.