Sit-at home order: Imo residents shift ground, resume business activities

  PAMELA EBOH, Awka, and VICTOR DURUAMAKU,  Owerri

Imo residents seem to have shifted grounds over the IPOB total lock down order as they resumed normal movements and commercial activities particularly in Owerri the state capital on Monday.

 However, this is the first time in the weekly order of the IPOB “sit at home” that residents of Imo State shifted grounds by defying the order and resumed their usual business activities in the state

Our Correspondent reports that while commercial vehicles made their ways to the roads, businesses, fast-food centres, artisans, street road side traders, super markets and mobile food vendors operated freely.

Most people spoken to told our Correspondent that the lock down order was badly affecting their individual family economies and as such brought until hardship to them.

They however said ” in as much as we appreciate the efforts of the IPOB, we will no longer close down our businesses or stall commercial activities for any reason again”

The people noted that some criminal elements do cash in the situation to kill people and destroy people’s property saying “henceforth, in as much we appreciate the worry of the IPOB, we will not stave our families and frustrate our businesses again”

The people further said ” the IPOB should carry on the agitation with out coursing pains to the people they are fighting for, and be rest assured that the people are behind them”

Meanwhile, businesses at the major markets were not at its peak, a reasonable percentage of buying and selling went on in virtually all the local government areas of the state  just as Okada riders ferried passengers to their various destinations unhindered.

In owerri, the state capital, Wetheral, Douglas, Tetlow, Onitsha, Port Harcourt, Okigwe, Mbaise, Aba and Orlu roads were saturated with vehicles, even as intra-city bus services by the “BusImo Drivers” were available for commuters.

However, only some   institutions such as banks public and private schools apprehensive of possible attack by hoodlums still remained closed and refused to open for customers, students and pupils.

The hospitality industry heaved a sigh of relief with guests seen trooping in and out of some of the hotels.

A community leader in Owerri Municipal Council, Chief Nnakwe Iwegbulem commended the people of the state for the development which he said would help in reviving the economy of the state and thus alleviate the hardship facing the people.

Also as result of the ongoing battle between the state Government and independent petroleum products marketers,   a number of filling stations have closed shop for with long queues of vehicles at some of the filling stations within the Owerri capital city.

The development which is a fall out of a running battle between the state government and the Independent Oil Marketers in the state over alleged failure of the former to honour an agreement reached with the latter had begun to take its tolls on the lives of the masses with transport fares hiked beyond imagination.

Our correspondent who monitored the situation reports that while a litre of fuel sells between N250 and N270, the road side retailers who sell the commodity in jerry cans now make brisk business, selling in black markets at exorbitant prices.

The State Commissioner for information and strategy-Chief Declan Emelumba could not be reached for reaction when called on his cell phone.

Meanwhile, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has reminded Biafrans, friends of Biafra and lovers of Biafra freedom across the globe that the sit-at-home order issued by the IPOB leadership to be observed tomorrow, Tuesday, September 14, 2021 is sacrosanct.

IPOB emphasized that the peaceful protest is for the remembrance of the victims of the genocidal invasion of its Leader’s compound at Afaraukwu Ibeku Umuahia on September 14, 2017, where no fewer than 28 persons were allegedly killed by the Nigeria Army during the raid.

A statement by the group’s media and publicity secretary, Emma Powerful said, “We advise all Biafrans both men and women to stay indoors tomorrow as a mark of honour to these fallen heroes and heroines. We must not fail to remember the supreme sacrifices of these great freedom seekers.

“Nothing done to honour them should be considered too much for they have watered the tree of Biafra freedom with their blood.

“Our Leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has also made a lot of sacrifice for the restoration of Biafra. So, all of us must be prepared to play our roles to accomplish this great task. Biafra independence is a mandate that we must live to accomplish.

“We won’t be deterred by the killings of Biafra agitators by Nigeria compromised security agencies who cannot confront Fulani bandits and herdsmen rampaging the country. They derive pleasure in killing and torturing innocent people agitating for their freedom while fleeing from real terrorists.

“Despite the tacit support by the federal government, these jihadists chasing villages and other communities out from their ancestral lands cannot succeed in Biafra land. IPOB is well organised and prepared to repel them. They can continue with their false media propaganda to demoralize people from supporting IPOB but they know that our people now know better.

 IPOB noted that the masses have become tired of the deceit by the political elite.

The governor of Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano on Monday stormed banks and markets within the capital city to enforce return to businesses and other economic activities in the state.

The governor had over the weekend held a meeting with transporters, bank heads and other stakeholders in the state to urge them to return to work, regretting that the weekly stay-at-home instituted by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, which was later cancelled was crippling the state economy.

Obiano had urged business owners, banks and market leaders to resume duties today (Monday, September 13) or risk sanction.

Though the sit-at-home was reversed, residents of the state continued to stay off their businesses and work for fear of being attacked, leading to a total shut down for five weeks.

The governor who led members of his executive council round the state capital visited banks and markets in the state capital.

At Eke Awka market, the governor thanked traders who braved it to come to the market, saying that the state must avoid giving urchins chance to take over the state.

Though only few vehicles could be found in the road, most businesses banks and markets opened for business, against previous Mondays that left the state capital as a ghost town. However, the state owned Transport Coperation of Anambra State, as well as other notable loading parks like GUO motors, Peace, ANiDS, Rivers Angels, etc that usually start loading to Lagos, Abuja, Portharcourt and other cities as early as 6am were all empty as at 8am.

There were also no passengers seen at the different parks except trickles of people going from Awka to Amawbia.

The usual hustle and bustle synonymous with the Unizik temporary site junction was absent, so much so that, even beggers were unusually not occupying their spot on the fly over bridge while motor park touts were also out of sight.

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