By Emma Ogbuehi
Enforcement and adherence to the sit-at-home order declared by the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB)) in solidarity with its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, have literally turned the South East geo-political zone to a ghost entity, as business activities get grounded, on Monday. There are also reports of the directive turning bloody in Nnewi, Anambra State and Mbaise, Imo state. Four people were allegedly killed in both communities. Commuters and other road users are stranded as roads are deserted.
In Imo, two passengers of an inter-state mass transit bus were reportedly burnt while three vehicles were set ablaze by people suspected to be enforcing order at Nkwogwu, Mbaise early in the morning. Trouble was said to have started when the driver and occupants of the vehicle failed to give satisfactory explanations on why they were not observing the order, a development that made their assailants pounce on them.
The exercise also got bloody in Nnewi with two people losing their lives in a confrontation between the Army and suspected members of IPOB. The unfortunate incident happened at the Izuchukwu junction area of the Nnewi roundabout, according to an eye witness.
Elsewhere in the region, there were reports of skeletal movements and total compliance for fear of the unknown in some instances. The cities of Abakiliki in Ebonyi state and Enugu, recorded total shutdown, with passengers and commuters stranded. Umuahia in Abia State, witnessed partial movement. The busy Onitsha commercial city is unusually silent with the roads empty. Awka, Anambra State capital, is equally paralysed.
In Orlu, Imo State, residents stayed indoors. A resident, Chidi Ogbuehi, who spoke with our correspondent on phone, painted a picture of a deserted town, adding that there had been sporadic gunshots from either security agents or unknown gunmen in the city since Sunday night. “As I am talking to you, we are all indoors. Orlu has been hot since yesterday (Sunday) with guns rattling intermittently. We don’t know if the gunshots are from soldiers or unknown gunmen. But the situation is scary”, he lamented.
At the hitherto boisterous Banana Junction (Orlu-Onitsha-Owerri Road Junction), a video recording obtained by our reporter, captured empty spaces with no one in sight. In the Orlu metropolis, offices, shops and stalls were under lock. Same story of uncertainties pervaded Okigwe township and parts of Ideato North local government area.