How Well Did The "sit-at-home" By IPOB Go?

The sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra on Friday disrupted commercial and academic activities in Onitsha, Anambra State as markets, banks and schools were closed in compliance.

The order, however,  failed in most parts of the South East as the people went about their businesses unmolested.

The pro-Biafra group had made the order to protest the continued detention of its leader, Mr Nnamdi Kanu, and other agitators detained in various prisons.

A visit to some of the major markets in Onitsha showed that only a hand full of traders opened shops but customers were not forthcoming.

Mr Emmanuel Obiagu, the chairman of Uguagba Old Motor Parts in Obosi near Onitsha, said the market was open.

A trader at the Onitsha Main Market who deals in shoes, Mr Frank Egbunam, expressed displeasure at the sit-at-home call at a time the country was going through economic recession.

Egbunam urged the agitators to device other peaceful means, including negotiations by the elites rather than crumbling the economic activities of the people.

He said that the protest was due to the perceived marginalisation of the Igbo in the country’s socio-political settings.

The businessman also called for the restructuring of the country to ensure equitable distribution of its resources.

Another businessman, Mr Okpala Eze, who did not open for business, expressed support for the agitators but warned against violence in their approach.

He said, “The sit-at-home order is good because we want the Federal Government to release Nnamdi Kanu and other people languishing in prisons.”

A civil servant, Mr Anthony Oguguo, said the IPOB directive affected the price of transportation because people stayed indoors for fear of the unknown.

He said, “I waited for more than two hours before getting a bus coming from Awka to Onitsha; the ones I saw collected N500 as against the usual N200.”

Security agents were positioned at the Onitsha Bridgehead, Nkpor Junction and Uga Junction while some others patrolled the city.

The Assistant Commissioner of Police in-charge of the Onitsha Area Command, Mr Abubaakar Yahaya, said no case of violence had been reported.

He said, “The whole place is quiet and peaceful; people are going about their businesses.

“Nobody has come out to breach the peace to justify any arrest.”
In Awka, the order had poor compliance in as businesses, human and vehicular traffic were normal in the capital city.

Commercial banks which were closed early in the day later opened to customers while the popular Eke-Awka Market was open but scanty.