Sit-at-home: Igbos remain adamant, as businesses crumble in Anambra

Pamela Eboh Awka

Despite the suspension of the weekly sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), residents of Anambra appear to prefer the first choice of staying away from work on Mondays.

 

The weekly sit-at-home order put in place by IPOB as a deterrent measure to force the Federal Government to release its leader, Nnamdi Kanu who was arrested in June was suspended  3days ago.

 

In Awka, the capital city of Anambra State, most people chose to stay indoors, even as banks, offices remsin under lock and key.

 

As at 8am, few people were seen moving about. The ever bubbling eke Awka market had some traders in their shops but shoppers were nowhere in sight.

 

Also the popular aroma junction which leads to the Udoji state secretariat was deserted while few keke Napep were seen plying the road.

 

Calls made to persons in Onitsha showed that streets are still deserted as at 8am on Monday morning.

 

According to Mrs Blessing Chisom who works with a lawyer in Onitsha, the commercial city is deserted.

 

She said, “I didnt go to work because there were no keke for me to get out. My children’s lesson teacher also cancelled  today’s lesson till tomorrow.

 

It was learnt that the main market which opens by 7am was deserted as few traders came out but no sjoppers in sight.

 

According to a trader in Onitsha main market, “As at 8am, there were only few traders who had come to the market.

 

“The market opens at 7am every morning, and usually, on a Monday, after a long weekend, traders itch to come to their shops, and that means that as early as 6am, most traders are already waiting for market officials to open their shops, so they can go to work.

 

“But today, it is already 8am, and the markets are already open, but only a few traders have arrived. As I was coming to market from Fegge where I live, I found the whole street scanty, unlike what used to happen on Monday mornings when there is usually a rush.”

 

It is believed that the partial implementation of the sit-at-home order was because most people were not aware of the suspension.

 

A POS operator said he didnt hear the news of the suspension, hence the reason he left his door locked while attending to few people that came around.

.Onitsha residents stay indoors

 

By Phil Okose Onitsha

 

Onitsha and its environs, Anambra state, were deserted on Monday despite the suspension of the every Monday sit-at-home order introduced by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, to be observed

throuthout Biafran land in solidarity for the detained IPOB leader,Mazi Nnamdi kanu .

 

All markets, banks, offices, industriies, local Governmnent headquarters, among others were completely shut and major roads deserted.

 

Most roads and streets were turned to football fields as the youths used the opportunity to play football and make merry.

 

Drinking spots and shops make brisk business selling their beer and other liquid contents even though their shops were under lock and key,

as they serve their customers through the back door.

 

The Ever-busy Onitsha/Owerri road, Onitsha/Asaba/Benin/lagos expressway and the Onitsha/Enugu expressway turned to ghost areas.

 

Visitors and travellers to and from Onitsha who only believed that with the suspension order as declared by IPOB that business activities would not be paralysed, could not believe their eyes when on Monday morning residents remained indoors.

 

According to Mr Okoye Ahandi who resides in Calabar, Cross River state capital , “I came to Onitsha on Sunday with the hope to make some

purchases on Monday but I am disappointed by what is happening and have to wait until Tuesday.”

 

“He said that, “the Federal Government should listen to the agitators as a father instead of ‘show of force’ if it is a democratic nation as it claimed to be”.

 

However, the presence of the security agencies was not noticed as this was voluntary sit-at-home which was reported to have been embarked upon by the residents out of fear of the unknown.

 

According to a trader at Onitsha main market who simply identified himself as Obiorah, “yes the IPOB suspended its every Monday sit-at-home order to now only be observed on the day Nnamdi Kanu will

be arraigned in court, but out of fear of the unknown we decided to stay indoors”.

 

“Some miscreants may question any body that opens shop, beat him up and rob him on the process despite the suspension order by IPOB. This

is Onitsha where anything can happen any time, so to be on the safe side stay indoors until the day is over”

 

Also reacting a motor mechanic, Mr Sunday Omenye, stated that, “we still live in fear because nobody is sure if the suspension is true or not. All we know is that we civilians receive the bulk of the attack  and economic loss when ever there is something like this.

 

“Most of the victims of the Security and IPOB clashes are innocent people who know nothing but the security operatives will arrest them and tag them ESN or IPON members and the next thing is to kill them just like that and nobody cares”

 

“So to be on a safe side stay indoors whether the order is suspended or not. This is a war that if not ended in the shortest possible time may result in gorrila war fare, take it or leave it and the  Nigeria

security operatives will be the target so long they are in Igbo land,” he warned.

 

In developed countries you don’t kill. people when they agitate to have their freedom, Nigeria is a signatory to the UN charter,” he stated further.