Yesterday’s sit-at-home order given by the Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB, in commemoration of the Biafra Day celebration, recorded overwhelming compliance, as business activities in all major cities were grounded.
Our reporter who nosed around Owerri Municipal Council, Owerri North and Owerri West Local Government Areas, said virtually all the shops, markets and other business places, including restaurants, cyber cafes, petrol stations, shopping malls, etc were locked and deserted.
This, he said complicated issues for students who were scheduled to sit for Mathematics, in the on-going West African School Certificate examination organized by WAEC, as there were very few vehicles on the roads.
A resident who spoke to our reporter, lamented the stress, inconvenience and hunger occasioned by the sit at home as most petty traders, food vendors and artisans who depend on the income they make form their daily hustle were thrown off balance.
“In all, Owerri and adjoining towns were very peaceful in contrast with reports received from Aba and other parts of Abia State where security operative were said to in sporadic exchange of gun fire with unknown gunmen who probably came out to enforce compliance with the sit at home order. Several cars including the patrol vehicles of the security operatives were reportedly burnt while many of them were killed by the gun wielding young men who were said to have driven in an SUV car and Toyota Sienna.
The fear instilled in the people by all these reports made them comply with directive, thereby staying away from some of the major markets that operate today being Eke in most parts of the state.
The question on the lips of most people is, when will this agonizing experience which adds to that unleashed by policies of the state and federal governments.
