Sirens blared as police convoys paraded the streets, local
security outfits deployed to major markets and surveillance helicopters flew
overhead.
Streets were deserted. Shops, schools and banks were shut.
Residents huddled together discussing the exercise while
children and youth converted asphalt roads into make-shift football grounds.
These were the sights in some major cities in South-east
Nigeria Wednesday following the sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of
Biafra (IPOB).
Worst hit were Aba and Onitsha, the commercial cities of
Abia and Anambra states respectively.
In other cities like Enugu and Umuahia, there were partial
compliance while Abakaliki, Nsukka and Awka showed little evidence of
compliance.
IPOB was proscribed last year by Southeast Governor’s Forum
in the wake of the violence that greeted a military exercise in the
geopolitical zone.
The army claimed the exercise was to curb criminal
activities in the region but many believed it was launched to curb the growing
influence of the pro-Biafra group and its leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
Last year’s sit-at-home was successful in most states of the
region and this forced the military to take steps to clip the wings of the
secessionist group.
Stalwarts of the group clashed with the army in Umuahia and
Aba state, leading to loss of lives and disappearance of Mr Kanu and his parents
after the army invaded their country home in Umuahia.
Since then, Mr Kanu’s whereabouts remains unknown with IPOB
and the army trading counter claims.
The Federal High Court in Abuja later proscribed IPOB all
over Nigeria and declared it a terrorist organisation.
But that has not stopped the group from carrying on with its
activities secretly.
Another pro-Biafra group, Movement for the Actualization of
the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), clarified that it was not part of
Wednesday’s sit-at-home. It however, said it was not against it.
Premium Times’ James Eze brings a summary of how the day
went in the South-east.
Abia
Aba, the major commercial city of Abia State, was on
lockdown Wednesday as residents observed the sit-at-home order of the proscribed
IPOB to mark the 2018 Biafra Day celebration.
But it was a different scenario in the capital of the state,
Umuahia, where business activities were in full swing.
Aba turned into a ghost town as major markets including the
famous Ariaria International market did not open.
The streets of Aba were also deserted as commercial
transporters parked their vehicles at home, hindering movement by people from
one part of the city to another or out of the city.
Banks and schools were shut as parents held back children
from school.
Teachers who went to work found the classrooms empty.
“As public servants, we are bound to
report for work but we can’t force pupils to come to school if their parents
did not allow them,” a primary school teacher who did not want her name
mentioned said.
She said though “the idea of remembering Biafra heroes is
good, we cannot observe it as public holiday since government has not
sanctioned it”.
In sharp contrast to last year’s exercise residents of
Umahia did not observe the exercise.
Banks opened for business while many private schools opened
but later asked students to go home to avoid danger should violence break out
later in the day. But as at press time, the city was calm with people going
about their normal businesses
Anambra
Onitsha, the commercial city of Anambra was completely shut
down as traders and other residents observed the order to sit at home.
The order recorded complete compliance in Onitsha as the
markets including the popular Onitsha Main Market was shut.
Also banks, motor parks, schools, filling stations and other
businesses did not open.
A resident, Geoffrey Anioke who runs a filling station, told
our correspondent that since the markets did not open there was no need for
other businesses to open.
“The drivers will not see passengers
since the markets did not open. This will also affect filing stations and the
ripple effect continues. The markets more or less powers the other major
businesses including the banks so if they had opened they wont have had
customers”, he said.
Apart from bus drivers, it was also gathered that motorcycle
and tricycle operators complied with the order forcing people who ventured out
to trek long distances to their destinations.
However, in Awka, capital of Anambra State, government
offices and other public places, including banks, schools, markets, motor parks
and private offices all conducted their businesses without molestation.
Some residents who spoke with Premium Times called on IPOB
to refrain from making the Federal Government regard the region as ingrate.
Charles Igwebuke, a civil servant, said it was high time
such directives were not allowed to get to public domain.
“In the first place, which national
tabloid published the directive that gave it the widespread it enjoys? For that
is the beginning of the problem,” he said.
“It has come to a point where every
publishing house in the country should abide with the things that unite us as a
nation rather than the things that separate us or be sectioned,” he said.
Ifeoma Nnameka, a banker, on her part said that though she
heard the sit-at-home order, her employer never informed her to stay away from
work.
“I work with a bank that does not take
nonsense from staff that don’t do what they should do in regard to this kind of
directives that was issued by faceless individuals.
“There is no way I can obey such when
the government that is in place to save lives and property didn’t say so and my
bank has warned us not to obey such directives that they are not aware of,” she
said.
Kassim Ajayi, a tailor, said he opened his shop for business
when he saw his fellow Igbo brothers doing same.
“I have to open for business when all
shops around me have opened for the day, for I heard on radio when the state
government directed all residents to go about their normal day’s work without
fear,” Mr Ajayi said.
The state’s Head of Service, Larry Uduh, had earlier issued
a statement that Governor Willie Obiano directed that work resumes on Wednesday
(May 30) after the Democracy Day public holiday on May 29.
Enugu Police nab pro Biafra group BZM’ s leader, 20 others
The Police in Enugu confirmed the arrest of leader of
Biafran Zionists Movement (BZM) on Wednesday in Enugu metropolis.
Premium Times gathered that members of the group in the
morning made a futile attempt to take over Enugu Government House.
Led by their self-acclaimed President, Benjamin Onwuka, the
group which marched from Bisalla Road was heading to the Government House as
early as 7 a.m to hoist the Biafran flags.
But upon their arrival at the Government House gate, they
were rounded up by security operatives.
A combined team of security operatives made up of the SSS,
anti-terrorism squad, mobile policemen, SARS, among others carried out the
operation.
Confirming the incident, spokesperson of the police, Ebere
Amaraizu, said 20 other members of the group were also arrested.
“The Enugu State command of the
Nigeria Police Force through its operatives today nabbed the leader of Biafran
Zionist Movement identified as one Bejamin Onwuka alongside with some of his
members numbering about twenty one”.
“Onwuka has been standing trial in a
court of competent court of jurisdiction over his alleged role in murder, armed
robbery and unlawful possession of firearms before he resurfaced today but fell
into the hands of the eagle-eyed security operatives of the command.
“He was nabbed within the Enugu
metropolis alongside his members based on the intelligence information.
Suspects are helping the operatives in their investigations.
Mr Amaraizu said the sit at home called by IPOB and other
groups failed in the state.
“There was movement of vehicles,
commuters and traders within and outside the metropolis contrary to the early
threat and order of sit-at-home.
“Security operatives were at strategic
places just as shops, media houses, markets and banks were open to the members
of the public,” he said.
Residents of Enugu partially observed the sit-at-home order.
This was even as another Pro-Biafra group, Biafra National
Guard (BNG), said it had launched a transitional government.
Although some markets were opened for business, just few
traders or buyers were seen in the vicinity.
Almost all the markets in the city including Ogbete, Timber,
Artisan, coal camp spear parts markets, among others were affected by the
order.
Even the street shop keepers were not as functional as
obtained in normal days while some civil servants failed to report to work.
They cited transportation hiccups for not doing so.
Commercial transportation was not in full swing even though
there was no enforcement on anybody or groups to comply with the Biafra
directive.
An auto electrician at Coal Camp markets, who gave his name
simply as Mr. Izuchukwu said he prepared to go out for business but could not
find transportation from his Agbani Road residence.
“So I went back to stay at home.
Tomorrow we continue with work,” he said.
Nsukka residents ignore order
Resident of Nsukka in Enugu State ignored the order as they
went about their businesses.
Government offices, banks schools, market and shops all
opened for business.
Commercial buses, tricycles and motorcycles were busy
picking and dropping passengers at their destinations and bus-stops.
A trader, Jude Amadi, said IPOB has no right to give him
such order as they will not feed his family.
“I thought government has proscribed
IPOB. I do not know the right the group has to order people to sit at home, ”
he said.
Peter Ozioko, a driver also said he was not aware of the
order as he has no business with the pro-Biafra group.
“It is what I get daily from driving
this bus that I use to feed my family and take care of other responsibilities
as a man. Even if I heard about the sit at home order, I will be very foolish
to obey it because the so-called IPOB will not give me money to buy food for my
family today. What we need in Nigeria is peace and progress not what will
scatter the country”. he said.
For Regina Urama, what the country need now is restructuring
so as to achieve stronger economy and not tribal agitations to divide the
country
According to her, tribal agitations for separation would not
solve the problem of the country but cause more problems.
“We must learn how to live in peace
with one another in this country irrespective of tribe, religion or political
affiliation”, she said.
Sit-at-home flops in Ebonyi
The order also flopped in Ebonyi State as citizens in the
state went about their normal businesses without harassment and intimidation
Governor David Umahi during his May 29th Democracy
celebration warned that any trader that closed their shop in line with the
directive of IPOB would forfeit it forever
When Premium Times visited the Abakaliki Main market, meat
market and Kpirikpiri markets within the metropolis around 9a.m, they were all
opened for business.
Also a joint patrol of major security agencies with over 20
vehicles were seen patrolling the streets of the city to forestall any
breakdown of law and order.
Later in the day, a police surveillance helicopter flew over
the city.
The Senior Special Assistant to Governor David Umahi on
Internal Security, Kenneth Ugbala, later on Wednesday spoke with reporters on
the situation.
“I have gone round the two major
businesses area in the state. I visited the banks, Abakpa main market, the
parks where commuters do their businesses and I am happy that in Ebonyi State,
we have full compliance to the directive of government. Even in the rural
communities or areas, we don’t have any challenge at all.
“The little little cases that cropped
in had been resolved in the rural areas; we want to thank God; we want to
advise those championing the cause of IPOB or MASSOB to follow the normal
process that will be in line with the law and we had always said that in Ebonyi
State here, we had been economically disadvantaged.
“We cannot leave our productive
periods to engage in nothing because we have suffered criminal marginalisation
from the states we were carved out from and we want to meet up and we cannot
sit at home when we are supposed to be working.
“The oil is drying up. We have to
work; go to farm and do our business transactions to make sure we keep the
state moving; we want to thank Ebonyians for the full compliance to the
directive of the Governor. I think today has been awesome and we thank God for
it.”
However, major transport companies like Peace Mass and
Ebotrans as at the time of this report were not loading to Aba, Onitsha and
Port Harcourt where they felt people would obey the sit at home order of IPOB.
A driver for one of the companies said they were afraid of
being attacked in those three cities for flouting the order.
The major streets like Water Walks, Ogoja road and Gunning
road were busy and had heavy vehicular traffic like any other day.
Meanwhile, there was zero compliance by Abakaliki residents
to the sit-at-home as government offices, shops, private and public schools,
banks as well as commercial activities within the Abakaliki metropolis remained
opened for businesses and operation.
A shop owner at the popular Abakpa Main Market in Abakaliki,
Lawrence Obiekwena, said he defied the order because market officials said the
market would not be closed for business.
He maintained that people should not be forced or
intimidated to observe the sit – at – home order.
MASSOB accuses Ebonyi govt of intimidating residents to shun
sit-at-home
MASSOB accused Ebonyi state government of intimidating
residents of the state into flouting the sit-at-home order called by IPOB.
Speaking to Premium Times, leader of the group, Uchenna
Madu, said residents of the state wanted to take part but were intimidated by
the state government not to do so.
He was referring to Governor Umahi’s speech on Tuesday at
the Oruta Ngele Stadium Abakaliki during Democracy Day where he urged the
people to disregard the order.
Mr Umahi had threatened that anyone who failed to open their
shop for business would be made to forfeit the shop to government.
Reacting to the sit at home, Mr Madu said despite the
intimidation the people still believe in the Biafran cause.
He said though his group MASSOB was not part of the
sit-at-home, it was not against it either.
According to him, MASSOB decided to hold a convention in
other to diversify the celebration.
The convention held at the Rojenny Sports Stadium Conference
Hall in Oba, Idemili South local government area of Anambra state.
“We are having a convention to
commemorate the 51 year anniversary of Biafra.
“We were not part of it (sit-at-home)
but at the same time we are not against it. We wanted to have a colouration, a
new initiative where we converge, interface, discus and deliberate. So though
the sit at home was ordered by IPOB, we are not against that.
“All these things are part of Biafran
celebration and struggle, different groups have their own way of celebrating
it. So it is also a welcome exercise, we have been doing it and we are gong to
it next time.
“The fact remains that today all over
the world, the people of Biafra celebrated their day. We don’t believe in
failure , some people are saying it flopped or wasn’t observed. But as far as
some people that believe in Biafra observed the sit at home and many others
attended the convention we are having shows that they believe in us, it shows
that we are winning and that we are prevailing.”
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