Residents of Enugu City in the South East region of Nigeria are beginning to see the every Monday sit-at-home civil action, ordered by the proscribed separatist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, as a new normal.
Without any prompting and mainly out of fear of unforeseen violent incidents, the people no longer go out for normal socio-economic activities on Mondays.
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As of 9 a.m. this Monday, the streets and roads of Enugu, the capital city of Enugu State that usually experienced very busy human and vehicular traffic, remained empty with very few private vehicles and human movements, speeding through.
The markets, shops, and banks were all under lock and keys.
Although the self-determination group, IPOB which operates mainly in the South-Eastern part of the country had announced the suspension of the civil action, residents are largely keeping away, choosing to stay indoors, following series of violent armed attacks by unknown gunmen.
Regional political leaders especially, State Governors have cried out that the self-imposed lockdown in the South East areas is crippling the region’s economy, which is known for trade and commerce, if not checked or address by the authorities concerned.
The sit-at-home order according to IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful is to mount pressure on the Nigerian Federal authorities to release its leader, Nnamdi Kanu who is standing trial and currently in the custody of the secret police, the Department of State Services, DSS.
Security operatives have been seen at strategic locations in the Enugu metropolis, though, the environment has remained relatively peaceful after late Sunday’s fracas which broke out, following the alleged killing of a motorist by the Police, at Uwani Division, over claims of extortion.
(Editor: Ifeanyi Mark)
