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Sit-at-home order: IPOB locks down S’East

IPOB

By Charles Onyekwere, Abakaliki, Nkiru
Nwagbo, Awka, Moses Oyediran,
Enugu and Val Okara, Owerri

The entire South East geopolitical zone of Nigeria was grounded on Monday following the sit-at-home order issued by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

This is even as four policemen and two members of IPOB were killed in Anambra State on Monday in the course of the enforcement of the sit-at-home order.

From Enugu to Ebonyi, Anambra, Imo and Abia states, our correspondents reported that there was a near total absence of human activities. According to one of the reports, the streets of Enugu were totally deserted with the exception of some secondary school students writing the National Examinations Council (NECO) that were seen. Recall that IPOB, had penultimate week, threatened a lockdown of the South-East geopolitical zone on Mondays until the leader of the group, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, is released.

The group’s Director of Media and Publicity, Emma Powerful, stated this in a statement on Sunday. He said: “Consequently, there will be no movement throughout Biafra land on Mondays until our leader who is suffering for our freedom is released. “This protest is peaceful but firm.

Everybody is advised to stay indoors in total compliance.” However, in another statement by the IPOB leader’s younger brother, Kanunta Kanu, IPOB explained that it arrived at the decision to cancel the earlier order after listening to pleas from well-meaning individuals and groups that the order is suspended to allow students in Igbo land to participate in the NECO examination.

Despite these controversies, the residents of the Southeast on Monday danced to the earlier tune of the IPOB to sit at home, not minding the threats from some governors not to pay workers who fail to report to work on Monday in compliance with the sit-at-home order.

In Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, it was total shut down on Monday as residents obeyed the call for a sitat-home protest by IPOB One of our correspondents reports that schools, shops, banks and other businesses in the city remained under lock and key for the major part of the day.

However, our correspondent, who visited major streets and roads in the city observed some cars, commercial tricycles and motorcycles were operating. Banks remained shut but their Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) were functional and dispensing cash to customers.

A few banks had their gates opened did not have customers to attend to. A bank staff told The Daily Times that they were instructed to report for work but not to open for business till they were told to do so. Some security agents were seen in their vans on patrol of major streets while residents were seen in clusters discussing the situation. Students writing the National Examinations Council (NECO) exams were seen going to school in the morning.

Workers of some businesses, who reported to work, found their offices under lock and key. Parks of major transport companies also did not load for most part of the day. Commercial activities in Owerri, the Imo state capital and its environs were brought to a halt following a sit at home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Our correspondent in Owerri reports that commercial banks, supermarkets, shops, motor parks, markets and other business private operators remained closed.

Few commercial buses were seen on roads running skeletal services while the state government buses designated to convey the state civil servants to the Secretariat along Port Harcourt Road were tactically withdrawn from the road. At both federal and state secretariats along Port Harcourt road, few workers were on duty despite state government’s directive to civil servants to ignore the sit-athome order.

Also, major streets in the state capital such as Wetheral, Tetlow, Douglas, Okigwe and Mbaise roads turned out to ghost areas while armed policemen and other security operatives were stationed at the strategic places.

However, all vehicles entering into the state capital from various locations were barricaded while five persons were reportedly shot dead at Mbaise along Owerri–Umuahia road and two Lagos based commercial buses were set ablaze in the same location. An Owerri based business man, Mr. John Nwankwo scolded Igbo leaders who are sabotaging the efforts of the IPOB to actualise the state of Biafra.

“I cannot understand while our people (Igbos) will sacrifice a little for freedom. The young man (Mazi Nnamdi Kanu) who is languishing in the cell fighting for the general interest of all of us to ensure that we gain our freedom could not touch them. “Last weekend we read from the media that the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo traveled to Republic of Benin to plead on behalf his fellow Yourba man, Mr. Sunday Idogho, who is currently detained in that country. Can any Igbo man do it?” According to him.

Igbo leaders should drop their political differences and come out boldly to fight a common enemy so that the future generation of Igbo extraction would have a base to anchor. Meanwhile, some commercial bus drivers who spoke to our correspondent expressed their happiness for withdrawing their services in line with the IPOB order, saying that it was big signal to the Igbo leaders.

In Enugu, economic activities were on Monday paralysed following the sit-athome order by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to protest the continued detention of its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. Our correspondent, who monitored the level of compliance in the state capital, reports that public places such as markets, shops, motor parks were all ghost zones while banks remained under lock and key.

Business owners and traders who spoke to our correspondent said the order affected their businesses, adding that IPOB must find other ways to vent their anger to avoid economic hardship of the common man. A trader at Ogbete Main Market in Enugu, who identified herself as Mrs. Amaka Eze said the IPOB order stopped her from going to the market.

Eze said IPOB should consider the poor masses as the economy of the country is already harsh. “This sit-at-home has affected me because I don’t know how I am going to feed my family today, Mrs. Eze said. She pleaded with IPOB to always be diplomatic and considerate in their struggle for self-determination.

In another reaction, Mr. Sebastian Njoku, a driver who spoke to newsmen, said that the sit-at-home order was ill-timed. Njoku said that IPOB could have suspended the directive considering that some students were currently writing their Senior School Certificate Examination. “I heard in the news that the order was suspended but I am surprised that everywhere is empty.

We came from Umuahia to Enugu this morning and you can count the number of vehicles on the road,” Njoku said. In another reaction, Mrs. Lorretta Ozioko said she decided to close down her shop in support of IPOB in protest of the continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

“This is my little way to show sympathy for this man who is suffering because he wants to end marginalisation and secure freedom for Igbo people, “she said.

The Daily Times reports that major roads in Enugu were turned to football fields as they were free from vehicular movements. Also, markets in Anambra State were closed as well as banks and government offices while commuter vehicle operators downed tool in compliance with the order.

Similarly, the River Niger bridge head witnessed prolonged traffic jam as motorists moved slowly having apprehension that the IPOB members may attack them. There was bonfires at Oba junction along Owerri- Onitsha express way as well as Ichi boundary two between Ekwusigo and Nnewi North local government areas.

Meanwhile, the industrial town was reduced to a ghost town as the people who initially came out for their daily business had to rush back home. Some vehicles were also smashed by aggrieved persons over the attack on the civilians by armed soldiers.

A combined team of security agencies as at the time of filing this report later stormed the town to disperse the protesters.

However, the popular Eke-Awka market was open but shops owners did not open their shops. Some civil servants in the state reported to duty, according to the directive of Governor Willie Obiano for all workers to be in office or risk salary cut. Our correspondent observed that the workers who live within Awka came to their offices only to register their names and immediately leave while those workers from Nnewi Ekwulobia, Onitsha and Ihiala did not come to secretariat at all because of total compliance of the commercial drivers.

Our reporter who monitored the event in Awka discovered that all the banks along Onitsha – Enugu expressway shut their doors to customers. The banks along are Access Bank, First Bank, Fidelity Bank and UBA, although their ATM services were operational. Also, some street traders shut their shops and business premises for fear of being attacked. The popular Aroma and Unizik Temporary site motor parks that serve those travelling outside the state capital were totally shut and empty as no vehicle was at hand.

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However, there were heavy presence of security men in the state especially at strategic places. Meanwhile, two persons were killed by yet-to-confirmed persons in Nnewi Anambra State while three vehicles were destroyed during the sit-at-home order carried out by the Indigenous People of Biafran IPOB on Monday.

The two Okada riders who were killed at Izuchukwu junction area of roundabout in the industrial town Nnewi, according to eye witness account, were identified as a leader of Eastern Security Network (ESN) and a commercial motorcyclist.

The Daily Times learnt that problem started at about 7.00am in the morning when some IPOB members came out to enforce the sit-at-home order and in the process blocked the major roads in the industrial town. Some unidentified soldiers however came in to clear the items used to block the roads leading to altercation between them and the IPOB members.

Sources said that the two victims were actually killed by gun shots by the unknown soldiers. Contacted, the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the Nnewi incident but said that investigations are on to find out if the killing was done by security operatives or members of IPOB.

Also, four policemen were alleged to have been killed by unknown gunmen at Nnewi Police Area Command on Monday. The incident was said to have been a reprisal of suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) over the killing of two of their members who were regarded as Okada riders early Monday morning.

Shootings between suspected unknown gunmen and police at Nnewi Police Area Command erupted on Monday afternoon causing pandemonium amongst the residents of Nnewi community. It was gathered that the gunmen came in about seven vehicles to the police station and started shooting which lasted for over one hour.

An eyewitness, who would not like his name mentioned, said the gunmen overpowered the police and carted away with their arms. He said by the time a reinforcement from the Navy arrived, the attackers had left even though it was gathered that they were pursued to no avail. When contacted, the Police spokesman, Anambra State Command, Mr. Tochukwu Ikenga, said his office had not received the report.

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Ihesiulo Grace

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