Streets in many Southeastern Nigerian cities are empty, quiet on this day, May 31. It is the same with markets and other places that usually should be bubbling with humans. Not so today, as the residents keep away from such activities.
They are complying with the sit-at-home order handed down to the citizens of the region by the leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra, the amorphous organization championing the creation of the Republic of Biafra.
This came on the orders of the so-called leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu.
Even early Monday morning, he re-issue the orders over various social platforms, warning of dire consequences for non-compliance with the order.
In what appears to be a deference to the IPOB mandates or political correctness, some governors of Southeastern states over the weekend made statements that gave tacit support to the keep-at-home order. While the governors might be opposed to the activities of what appears to be a parallel government in their states, they might be compelled to appear in the public not to be opposed to the order, for their own sake. It is clear that the leadership of the IPOB will look for every opportunity to declare war on them.
In Umuahia, where Kanu hails from, Governor Okozie Ikpeazu said on Sunday that the government would not compel traders to open their shops, if they decide not to do so.
In Abakaliki, capital of Ebonyi State, Governor Dave Umahi also gave a similar nudge.
In a change of his former position on the matter, the governor on Monday asked traders willing to sit-at-home to do so. He explained that he had received several requests from citizens who wanted to be allowed
“The prayer requests are to honour their loved ones killed during the Nigeria – Biafra civil war and most of those who made these requests are traders,” the governor said in a statement issued by Francis Nwaze, his special assistant on media and publicity.
“The state government remains resolute to protect its citizens but also realises that people have the right to remain at home or engage in various engagements.” “It is their constitutional right while the rights of those who wish to open for business should also not be infringed upon,” he said. “Security agencies are directed to do everything possible to maintain law and order in the entire state. “The ban on processions or gatherings of any kind throughout the state is still in force
In Owerri, the Imo State capital and the hotbed of the crisis in the South East, you can hear a pin drop in the streets, said a resident who spoke by phone from the town.
According to the grandmother, everybody is indoors, with schools, shops, and other places of business shut. She explained that the streets are flooded with soldiers in plain clothes, whose identification marks are simply the guns they carry at the roadblocks mounted in the town.
It is not restricted to the cities. Even in the villages, people have curtailed their movements. In Anambra, there is full compliance with the sit-at-home order, says a senior member of the ruling All Progressives Party. Speaking from his country home at about 11 am on Monday, he said he had hardly received any visitors. On a normal day, his house would have been filled with visitors who call for various issues.
Compliance with the order, according to the politician, is for various reasons. Some comply in obedience to the IPOB leaders. But many comply because of the fear of the Unknown Gunmen, who could take advantage of the order to kill whoever they see on the streets.
