Our Reporter, Abuja; Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia; Nonsochukwu Uwa, Owerri; Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki; & Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
Even as his bail application suffered a major setback at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, continues to score in the South-East with the high observance of the sit-at-home order declared in his solidarity by IPOB.
The entire South-East geo-political zone was literally on lockdown, Wednesday, in solidarity with the detained IPOB Leader following his appearance in court.
IPOB had since his arrest in June 2021, ordered a sit-at-home protest any day Kanu is to appear in court.
Major cities across the South-East fully complied with the sit-at-home order as the streets and major markets were totally deserted.
Aba the commercial nerve centre of Abia State was a ghost city as residents remained indoors.
The markets including Ariaria International Market, Ahia Ohuru, Ekeoha Shopping Centre, among others were all deserted both by traders and visitors.
The roads were also dry as there were no vehicular movements except occasional movements by few vehicles on essential duty.
A resident who simply identified himself as Goodluck, told Ikengaonline that residents decided to observe the sit-at-home order “because Nnamdi Kanu did nothing to deserve being subjected into custody.”
He said that until the IPOB leader “is released we are ready to observe sit-down because he deserves our solidarity.”
In Umuahia, however, the exercise did not record 100 per cent compliance as some street shops opened for business.
Banks, schools, and motor parks were however shut down.
The roads were also not totally dry as few vehicles including commercial tricycles operated tactfully.
The heavy downpour around midday almost shut down the entire state capital as the city became so quiet.
In Imo State, residents in Owerri and its environs on Wednesday stayed at home in obedience to the sit-at-home order issued by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.
Ikengaonline gathered in Owerri that the streets and shops in the state capital were all shut down.
Some of the residents said they were forced to stay at home based on the order by the IPOB, in solidarity with the detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who was to appear in court on Wednesday at the Federal Capital, Abuja.
Some of the streets, banks, shops and markets were all shut down. Schools and transportation companies closed for business and the major streets of Owerri were deserted.
At the time of filing this report, some of the streets include Wethedral, Tetlow, Akwakuma, Amakohia, Mbari and Ikenegbu.
Also, Owerri-Okigwe, Owerri-Portharcourt, Owerri-Aba and Owerri-Onitsha roads were all empty with few vehicles and human activities.
Similarly, Owerri-Okigwe, Owerri-Portharcourt, Owerri-Aba and Owerri-Onitsha roads were all empty with few vehicles and human activities.
Abakaliki shut down as residents observe sit-at-home
Abakaliki, capital of Ebonyi State, was totally grounded following the sit-at-home declared by IPOB.
All the banks in the city were under lock when Ikengaonline monitored compliance of the exercise.
However, Automated Teller Machines were dispensing cash to few customers who visited the banks
Students and teachers did not go to school with some of them seen playing around on the streets.
Shops at the Margaret Umahi International Market Abakaliki and other markets did not open.
The State Judiciary Headquarters near the Old Government House was also under lock and key even as other Government offices remained shut.
Streets and major roads appeared deserted with few vehicles, commercial tricycle and motorcycle operators in operation.
Security operatives were seen moving around the city in a long convoy.
It was also a total shutdown in Anambra State on Wednesday as streets of the state were totally deserted.
The total shutdown might not be unconnected with fears among residents, of possible attack by unknown gunmen, having been terrified by recent activities of the arm-wielding criminals in the state.
Ikengaonline visited some parts of Awka, the state capital and observed that motor parks along the popular Arroma junction and the ever-busy UNIZIK junction were all empty.
There was total compliance by filling stations in the state capital including those located along the Zik avenues, Amawbia By-pass Junction and Agu Awka.
Some residents managed to come out in the early hours of the morning, having seized the opportunity to engage in routine road-walks and jugging exercise along the Ifitte roads, Ziks avenue and Commissioner’s Quarters axis of the Awka town.
Ikengaonline correspondent in the state learnt that even private and public schools in Awka, Amawbia and other parts of the state observed the sit-at-home order.
A female private school principal in Amawbia, Awka South Local Government Area, told our Correspondent that they chose to sit back at home after making the necessary enquiry and meeting with parents concerning the news of the sit-at-home.
“Again, we felt it is better to sit at home due to the precarious situation of the state. There have been massive killings and shooting in the state and we cannot risk the lives of the students by telling them to come to school,” she said.
Though no attack was recorded in the state, a development at Ekwulobia, Aguata LGA, saw five men allegedly arrested for threatening a food vendor.
The men were said to have approached a restaurant and got served food, but after eating, they refused to pay, threatening the food vendor for daring to come out on a sit at home day.
A Facebook user, Mr. Iyke Orji, who narrated the experience said the men had been in the habit of eating in restaurants without paying, in the guise of punishing the operators for opening their businesses on restricted days.
Orji said: “Remember those five guys that ate in a local mama put (and refused to pay)? Today in Ekwulobia, those five guys came to do the same thing.
“After eating food of N750 each, they stood up to leave and the woman requested for money. They stressed that Mazi Nnamdi kanu is in Court and she’s opening her shop.
“One of them brought out a dagger and threatened to pour away the woman’s food, claiming they were unknown gunmen, but they never knew the woman was an agbero. (roughneck)
She held one of them in his shirt and said they can only leave without paying her if they killed her. She started screaming and people doing clean up in their neighbourhood showed up, and the boys were thoroughly beaten and four of them confessed to be students of Oko Polytechnic, while the remaining one graduated from the same polytechnic two years ago.
“They pleaded and pleaded that they just do this to eat because of the bad economy of Nigeria. They were handed over to the vigilante,” Orji wrote.
Reports from Enugu also confirmed that the Coal City state was equally brought on its knees for Kanu as residents remained indoors.
Economics and commercial activities were grounded as all markets and shops were shut down.
The roads were dry except occasional movements of few vehicles.
Apart from Monday sit-at-home, which is usually greeted with partial compliance, sit-at-home on days Kanu is to appear in court enjoys total compliance across South-East.
