Residents of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo have ignored the five-day sit at home order issued by Simon Ekpa, the self-acclaimed factional leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
It was observed that Blbanks, markets, schools, petrol stations and other public institutions opened for businesses, even as individuals went about their normal business activities without fear of being attacked.
Report says motorists, keke operators and Okada riders were in the streets moving people from one destination to another.
Ekpa, in a video message recently circulated on the social media, threatened to kill anyone who dared to come out on any of the days starting from yesterday, December 9 to 14.
However, in a swift reaction, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, and many other groups and individuals, all kicked against the order and berated Ekpa, charging residents to go about their normal business activities.
Similarly, IPOB leadership, has described Ekpa as faceless and working for the forces against the actualisation of Biafra project. They stressed that by ordering the sit-at-home, he wanted to unleash hardship on the people of the South East under the guise of fighting for Biafra, so that the people would reject the agitation.
Sun reports that in Abia State, residents ignored the order. There was no sign of observance of the sit-at-home as people moved about their normal businesses.
Banks, markets and some public institutions in the state operated freely unlike Monday when they closed as a result of the sit-at-home, Those who spoke to Saturday Sun, said the five-day sit-at-home was one too many, meant to inflict more hardship on them.
“The Monday sit-at-home is already taking its toll on the people. This new order will amount to emasculating the people of the South East economically.”
The platform also reported that the order failed in Anambra, as banks, markets, schools and other public institutions opened for businesses even as individuals went about wih their normal businesses without fear. In fact, the order failed totally in Anambra.
In Ebonyi, our correspondent who visited the New Government House at Ochudo Centenary City and the Old Government House observed that government offices were open and functional.
Aside the markets that were all opened, commercial tricycle operators known as Keke NAPEP were also seen working. In Enugu, all the major markets operated, while banks, schools, petrol stations and government offices had their normal businesses. Also in the villages and communities, residents went about their normal daily activities and businesses including burials without blinking an eye over the order.
In Imo, the counter order issued by IPOB that it would deal with anybody or group attempting to enforce the purported sit-at-home in the South East, gave the people the assurance to move around.
A human rights activist, Mr Osita Obi is currently in pain following the demolition of his house by the Anambra State government on Wednesday.
The newly constructed building, a duplex was brought down by the government amid anguish by the right activist.
The building was constructed at the Executive Business District area of Awka, near the abandoned Government House.
Raising the alarm over the destruction, Obi expressed pain that he was not even informed of the intended destruction, so that he would take away some needed items in the house.
He told journalists that: “My pain is not that the house was demolished, after all, government once told us that the area has been acquired by it, and that the houses built there will be demolished.
“My pain is that when they wanted to demolish it, they didn’t as little as notify us, so that we can remove some useful items in the house. My wife has been in tears since after the demolition. She has been crying ceaselessly.
“That house was built by my wife, even one kobo of mine did not go into it. My wife is a retiree from a federal government agency, and she used her life saving and retirement fund to buy the land and also construct the building. The land was very legally acquired, and even my building plan was approved by government.
“I have heard that government has said it will pay us compensation as it was captured in the 2023 appropriation bill, but if they notified us, it would have helped us bear the shock of the demolition.
“Now they are telling me they will pay compensation, do they want to kill my wife, so that I will use the money they will pay me to bury her?” the rights activist asked rhetorically.
Information however has it that Awka Capital Territory Development Agency has reached out to the activist to assure him that he would get compensation for the demolished building.
Obi who is the Coordinator of Anambra Keke and Shuttle Drivers Union has been in the forefront of championing the cause of tricycle riders in the state, including engaging government, for reduction of taxes paid by the operators.
He was the former Coordinator of Movement for the Conduct of Local Government Election in Anambra State.
While holding the position as a local government Coordinator during the Peter Obi and Willie Obiano’s administrations, he championed the crusade on the non-conduct of local government elections in the state.