Awka – Despite the alleged suspension of Monday sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra, banks, business centres, eateries and other public places, did not open as expected today in Onitsha and Awka, Anambra State capital.
TNC correspondent in Anambra, who monitored activities today in Onitsha, the commercial hub of the State capital, observed that streets and roads were deserted.
While businesses, especially markets operated on a low level, few persons who came out found it difficult to get commercial vehicles, tricycles and motorbikes they could board to their destinations.
The ever-busy Upper Iweka axis, Onitsha – Asaba headbridge road, Awka road, 3-3 to Nkwelle road, Army Barrack Post Roundabout, all in Onitsha were deserted this morning.
In Awka, skeletal activities were witnessed in public offices while major markets remained shutdown.
IPOB had declared a sit-at-home order in the South-East every Monday to protest the detention of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
The group, in a statement on Saturday by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, however, suspended the order, adding that the sit-at-home would now hold whenever Kanu appears in court.
But in a chat with TNC correspondent on Monday, the IPOB spokesperson in reaction to the observance of the order, despite the suspension, said IPOB is no longer forcing anyone to stay at home, but added that people voluntarily decided to observe it to show how they feel about the continued detention of Kanu.
He said the exercise was not entirely banned, but was only suspended, and that since the people are fine with it, the group may reintroduce it, noting that however, that would be after due consultation.
“Yes, we observed that people decided to sit at home today. We did not tell them to do so, and we did not force anybody. They are doing it to show how they feel about the detention of Kanu.
“We suspended the exercise for this Monday, but after consultation, we can decide to order that people should sit at home again by next Monday. As for this Monday, the people are just expressing their feelings. We are still consulting, and we will let people know,” he said.
