South east goes silent under grip of IPOB’s sit-at-home order

Streets and highways are deserted, businesses shut and residents indoors

Streets in many parts of the south east are deserted in the wake of a sit-at-home order issued by the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra.

The order is to mark two days of Remembrance for Biafra Day.

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The order has been controversial in recent years, with state governments dissociating from it.

Militarisation in the region to combat IPOB is thought to have forced many to stay indoors.

The result is empty streets across Enugu and Abia states, according to images shared by residents in the region.

Streets in Umuahia the Abia State capital are virtually empty and deserted as residents remain indoors in total compliance with the sit-at-home order given by the leadership of IPOB to mark this year’s Biafra Day.

Major streets, roads in the state capital are empty of the usual human and traffic just as shops and business premises are closed.

There is no visible patrol movement of security agents nor the presence of the outlawed IPOB members on the streets.

It was a similar situation at the over-projected nearby Orieugba market which was a ghost of itself.

Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu had Sunday night said Abia traders would not be compelled to open their shops today if they chose not to do so.

Security agents take over strategic points in Imo

To ensure law and order as residents of Imo state obey the sit-at-home order given by the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), combined teams of security agents drawn from the army, police, navy and sister agencies have cordoned off strategic areas identified as flashpoints in and around Owerri and its environs.

Our correspondent gathered that there is a heavy military presence along Aba – Owerri road, specifically at Naze No 1, Akachi Road where some airforce men were alleged to have been killed on Saturday

There is also a heavy security presence at Okigwe Road and at Imo State University round about.

The same scenario is replicated at Orji Fly over.l and Amakohia/Akwakuma flyover.

However, the situation is different at Dick Tiger junction by Egbu Road, on the road to Enyiogugu Mbaise with scanty military presence.

Similarly, men of the anti kidnapping unit in their patrol vans have taken over Umezurike Hospital off Royce Road, while Ama JK along Douglas Road, Control Roundabout, Concord Hotel Road by first inland road junction and Protea Hotel are no go areas.

It’s also difficult for motorists going to the Airport as Airport Junction Aba-owerri Road and obiangwu-Ngor Okpala where a former presidential aide, Ahmed Gulak, was killed on Saturday are no go areas.

The situation is also the same at Nguru and Logara where military presence is quite noticeable.

Total compliance in Anambra

There is total compliance to the directive of indigenous people of Biafra IPOB for people of southeast to sit at home to respect those killed in the Nigerian civil war in Anambra state.

Businesses have been shut down, and residents shut inside their homes.

The ever-busy Unizik junction along Onitsha – expressway and the popular Eke Awka and markets in the capital were shut down.

Many streets in Awka are converted to football pitches by the youths, while some people were seen in places celebrating the total compliance of the directive.

One of the youths in the Awka Chinenye Okafor said he was pleased that the directive to sit at home was successful.

Another resident, Taiwo Ogundare who wanted to trek to Aroma from Unizik junction commended the Igbo for observing the sit-at-home directive.

He said that the compliance was to respect the heroes from Igbo extraction that lost their lives during the civil war.

He said the action was right and apt, noting that the sit-at-home order did not translate to anything wrong .

Report from Onitsha and Nnewi indicated that the sit-at-home order was successful as all shops and offices were shut.

by  Jude Aguguo Owuamanam, Owerri; Linus Effiong, Umuahia; Titus Eleweke, Awka