Insecurity: Abuja residents avoid nightclubs, nightlife

Some residents of Abuja said on Wednesday that they had reduced their nightlife activities because of the current security challenge in the Federal Capital Territory.

Three of the residents, told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in an interview, that they were also putting a stop to clubbing at nights.

Christopher Opara, a regular guest at the Meantime Lounge, Wuse II, Abuja, told NAN that he no longer enjoyed life in Abuja since the Boko Haram attacks in some relaxation centres.

Mr. Opara, a civil servant who resides at Wuse Zone VI, noted that the measures taken by the FCT authorities to secure the city made the situations more difficult to cope with.

“You can imagine a situation whereby relaxation centres including nightclubs and beer parlours were told to close their business activities at 10 p.m.

“These are places we hangout to unwind after the day’s stress; I no longer spend my weekends in the FCT.

“Lately, I prefer Owerri and Asaba for my relaxation at weekends because of the growing nightlife in these cities,’’ Mr. Opara said.

Kingsley Obasi, a member of staff of the Ministry of Works, told NAN that the city was generally boring and people no longer stayed around during the weekends.

He said that he could not spend his weekends in the town because his family and friends do not live in the FCT.

“My family doesn’t live here in Abuja with me, and the town is super boring for me; that is why I travel during weekends.

“You can hardly find friends to relax with in this town; they always want to go home as early as 6 p.m.

“Therefore, I prefer to travel to other states where I can have fun with friends and family’’, he said.

Charles Aguguwa, a businessman at the EMAB plaza, said life in city was almost becoming miserable for him after the bomb blast in the plaza in June.

He said he had yet to get over the shock of the blast as he was almost affected by the incident.

“The security situation in the country has affected life seriously; I managed to escape death during that blast. So, I don’t walk or spend unnecessary time outside my office or home.

“Before that incident, I used to hang out till 11 p.m. or midnight with friends; but now it is no longer the same,’’ Aguguwa said.

He added that he would resume his nightlife once the security situation improves.

(NAN)