IPOB’s sit-at-home order grounds S’East, Rivers, Delta, others

. Reps urges caution, asks security agencies to avoid maximum force

The Igbo nation across the country, particularly the South East and South South regions of Imo, Abia, Anambra, Delta and Rivers states on Tuesday observed the sit-at-home order by Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) to press home its demand to have an independent country, Biafra. In some cities, the observance was total while it was partial in some others.

Social and economic activities in Owerri, the Imo State capital, were brought to a standstill following the sit-at-home order which was also to mark the 50th anniversary of the start of the Nigeria/Biafra civil war. The late Biafran warlord, Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu on May 30, 1967 declared the Republic of Biafra.

There was total compliance with the IPOB order as our correspondent who monitored the situation in Owerri, the Imo State capital, reported that markets, shops, banks and private, mission and public schools were shut down.
The Daily Times also observed that Motor Parks were equally shut down leaving few passengers sighted at the parks stranded.

Chief John Nwafor, a businessman from Njaba Local Government Area of the state told our correspondent that he arrived at Owerri as early as 7am to travel to Ava, Abia State for business transactions but could not catch-up with any vehicle due to the sit-at-home order.

Our Correspondent reports that all the private schools as well as government owned schools particularly Comprehensive Secondary School, Amakohia, Uratta, and Girls Secondary School, Akwakuma, St Mark’s Anglican School, Amakohia, Government Secondary School, Owerri were closed as no school children were sighted at the school premises except a few teachers.

The IPOB directive equally compelled banks to close down and a security man attached to a commercial bank along Bank Road Owerri said they shut down operations because of the fear of possible attacks by miscreants.

A visit to the High Court Complex Owerri, showed that some courts sat while others failed to sit, leaving lawyers guessing why some of the judges failed to report for work.

A lawyer who pleaded anonymity called on the Federal Government to look into the agitation by the pro-Biafra groups so as to end the persistent agitations.

“This kind of situation does not tell good for the corporate image and identity of Nigeria that we are in one country, yet everyday it is Biafra agitation, the other day it was Boko Haram and OPC,” he said.

Reacting to the sit-at-home, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, the leader of Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Biafra Independence Movement (BIM) said the two pro-Biafra groups under him were not part of the directive.

“The position of MASSOB and BIM under my watch is that we are not part of any sit-at-home order. All I am aware is the week-long celebration to mark 18th anniversary of MASSOB and 50th anniversary of Biafra.

“Anybody talking about sit-at-home is on his own and I have nothing to tell anybody on such activity neither should any problem associated to it be attributed to me,”

The Daily Times reports that the state governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, who was visibly disturbed, moved to the popular Owerri Central Market which was under lock and key to open the main entrance of the market. However, when he opened the main entrance to the market, it was discovered that all shops at the market were locked as owners stayed at their various homes. School children were seen playing on major streets of Owerri, including Douglas Road, Wethedral Road among others.

In Abia State, the May 30th Stay-at-home order by IPOB recorded 90 percent compliance by the citizens as they shunned the Commissioner of Police moves to ensure normalcy.

In obedience to the order, most shops, eateries, banks and schools, both public and private did not open for business, while streets were deserted as children converted the streets into football field.

Even as the Police helicopter with registration number 5N-GEJ roamed the sky at extremely low height, the state capital, Umuahia was as silent as grave yard as few vehicles plied the roads.

The streets were deserted and some banks who tried to operate did that under closed doors, except for Automated Teller Machines, ATM operators.

The story was the same for even rural towns like Ohafia, Bende, Abiriba, Alayi, Igbere, Item, and Arochukwu where citizens were reported to have used the occasion for farm activities.

The stay-at-home order was further enhanced with the public electricity system which hitherto had been absent was provided on Tuesday to encourage families to stay indoors to watch films, television and other internet applications.

Reports from Aba indicated that the area witnessed near total compliance as markets, including the famous Ariaria Market was under lock and keys.

Economic and business activities were totally shutdown there as markets, businesses, shops and offices closed for business in total compliance to the sit-at-home directive.

In Delta State, the sit-at-home order scared residents of Asaba, Ibusa, Ughelli and its environs.

Expectedly, as early as 6:30am virtually all the roads in Asaba were desolate as Keke riders which used to be the beehive of movements were literally not seen apart from Armed Policemen at strategic places. Schools and markets were shut and traders for fear of the unknown stayed back at home to observe the “sit at home order.”

Though government offices were opened, civil servants were seen around their offices discussing the “sit at home” order in hush-hush tones, when our reporter visited. Some of them who spoke to our reporter on condition of anonymity described the “sit at home order” as palpable fear of the unknown, warning members of the group against another civil war.

According to one of them, “What we saw during the civil war is untold, we don’t want another civil war again, and it is unfortunate that Nigeria moves from one problem to another.”

Near the Head Bridge in Asaba, over 2,800 armed policemen were seen on a stop and search measures and in most cases allegedly molesting stubborn motorists who failed to adhere to instructions. An Igbo man who claimed to be Nnamdi Okorie said, “We have succeeded in our order of sit at home, we must actualise our Biafra state dream, nobody can stop us, everywhere is empty nobody came out.”

The sit-at-home order was total success in Onitsha the commercial city of Anambra State, Awka, the state capital
and Nnewi, the industrial town of the state.

As early as 8am when this reporter drove from Onitsha to Nnewi, no vehicle, tricycle and motorbikes were seen on the roads, particularly, the Oba New and Old Roads, the Onitsha Owerri Road and Obosi Nkpor Roads as well as the ever busy Asaba -Onitsha Bridge and the Onitsha -Awka Expressway.

Markets including the multii-billion naira Onitsha Main Market, shops, filling stations, schools and banks were all shut down, while people were seen in clusters discussing the development.

The Edo Ezemewi Road, Nnewi were almost all the banks have branches was deserted as the banks did not open and the popular Nkwo Nnewi Market was also closed, with stern looking security men mounting guards at the entrance and exit gates.

In Onitsha, all the markets, schools, shops and other business outfits were all closed, while all the federal and state government establishments, banks and other financial institutions were shut for business, and even the shops on the smallest streets in Onitsha were closed.

But it was brisk business for petty food vendors like beans cake (Akara) bakers as people clustered round them at Upper New Market road, eating and discussing the activity of the day.

The Onitsha Owerri express way, the Asaba Onitsha expressway and the Onitsha Enugu express way were all ghost of themselves as all vehicular movements, movement of tricycles, motorcycles, and human traffic were absent there.
Security agents in their patrol vehicles, particularly, the Nigerian Police Force, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Road Safety Corps, were seen patrolling the streets of Onitsha, Awka and Nnewi.

In compliance with the sit-at-home directive, some business owners, commercial activities were partially paralysed in Port Harcourt, capital city of Rivers State and some of its environs.

Although no violent incident was recorded in the state as at press time, all the shops at the Ikoku Spare Parts Market, one of the highest commercial centres in Port Harcourt, were locked. Also heavily affected by the IPOB order were shops at the Mechanic Village at Elekahia, where some customers were seen looking frustrated as they were shut out.

Many shops were locked in Rumuola, Rumuokuta, and other parts of the capital city. Trading activities known to be of high intensity at the Toll Gate in the Oyigbo axis, Eleme, Oil Mill, Artillery, Market, Rumuoji Market, Mile 3 Market, and the Building Material Market were low. Many shops along Ada George Road were also locked. Business activities in Choba and Ugwuoba axis of Port Harcourt were also not high.

One of the customers who simply gave his name as Mr. Nze, told the Daily Times: “I’m frustrated. I really need to buy some car parts to fix my car for an early morning journey tomorrow. It is an emergency and I can’t even go to Aba. That place must be a no-go area today.”

However, in the city of Port Harcourt, some shop owners who cashed in on the heavy presence of security operatives in the state were seen enjoying high sales, taking advantage of their colleagues absence, those of them who were either not courageous enough to open their commercial centres or simply complied with the IPOB order.

There was also light traffic along the major roads in Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor in the morning and afternoon hours which gradually picked up in the evening.

Following the sit-at-home order, the House of Representatives on Tuesday cautioned against the use of maximum force by the military and other security agencies against IPOB members in the South-East and South-South.

The House issued the warning following the adoption of a motion moved by Rep. Obinna Chidoka

The lawmakers urged the security agencies to refrain from using maximum force in these regions where members of IPOB issued a sit-at-home order.

Moving the motion, Rep. Chidoka pointed out that there is need for security agencies deployed to the affected states in the two geo-political zones to exercise caution in discharging their duties.
He stated that the motion was necessary in order to avoid a repeat of the bloodshed that occurred in 2016 at Nkpor in Anambra State.

The Nkpor bloodshed, according to Rep. Chidoka occurred as a result of the clashes between security agents and residents of the area during the sit-at-home ordered by IPOB to remember Biafran heroes and heroines who died during the civil war.

He said since that unfortunate incident, there has been tension in the South East and South South regions.
“Today (Tuesday), marks the anniversary of the unfortunate killings at the popular Nkpor junction in Idemili North Local Government Area, near the commercial city of Onitsha in Anambra State on May 30, 2016, during the remembrance day of Biafran heroes and heroines who died during the civil war.

“A deployment of the Nigerian military has been mobilised as well as other security agencies in order to control and prevent an outbreak of bloodshed in this year’s sit-at- home order,” the lawmaker added.
Rep. Chidoka said that the motion bothers on the unity of the country, declaring that it is imperative for security agencies to exercise maximum caution and discipline even in the face of provocation, especially as yesterday also doubles as the 50th anniversary of the declaration of the defunct Eastern region as an independent state of Biafra.