The citizens of
Abakaliki in the capital city of Ebonyi state on May 30, 2018 massively
complied to the 'Sit-At-Home' order by the Indigenous People Of Biafra led by
Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in remembrance and honour of the heroes and heroines who died
in the struggle for Biafra restoration since 1967 till date.
The state
governor Engr. David Umahi on Tuesday, May 29 while addressing the citizens of
the state and the stakeholders at the Abakaliki township stadium during the
democracy day celebration, threatened that anyone who refused to open his shop
or business on May 30, in compliance to the 'Sit-At-Home' order by IPOB for the
heroes’ remembrance and honour day will lose his/her shop and business because
the state government will close it down. The warning equally went to the civil
servants in the state that whosoever did not attend work will be sacked from
work.
Despite the
warning and threat by the governor, yet shops and businesses in the state were shut
down and roads deserted as mass transit companies in the state were out of
service. Most of the busy places and business centres visited by our corresponded
across the state were out of service and shops were seen under lock and keys,
such as Nkalagu in Ishielu LGA, Nkwo Izhia, Eke Izhia, Okwo Ngbo in Ohaukwu
LGA, Mile 50, Court area, state police headquarters business area, union Bank
axis, Onueke motor park, Kpirikpiri, Abacha road, Abakpa main market, Izza
road, Vanco, building materials Abakaliki, Tipper garage, Mechanic site
Abakaliki, down to Azugwu and water works road which covers the state capital.
Few persons who
opened their shops did that out of fear imposed on them by the Ebonyi state
governor whom through his warning threatened to sanction any marketer who did
not open his shop on May 30, or fail to attend work for civil servants in the
state, while speaking with the news men who went to the field for fact
findings, they lamented that they do not want the state government to close
down their shops that was why they tried to open it, not that they do not need
Biafra to be restored.
Some marketers
at the building materials Abakaliki were sighted playing games of draft and what,
some were busy discussing in group while their shops were locked; one of the
shop owner in the market, who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that he
came out just to observe what happened, not that he was out for business as
usual. According to him he said, "I came to witness what is happening
myself because I need not to be told, my shop is locked"
Indeed, the compliance
to the 'Sit-At-Home' was to 70%, it was only some Nigerians in the state that
failed to observe it, because it was Biafrans that were asked to 'Sit-At-Home'
in honour of their heroes and heroines who paid the ultimate price for them in
the struggle for Biafra freedom from 1967 till date. So, let no body blame
anyone who could not observe the 'Sit-At-Home' because the order was not for
everybody rather Biafrans alone and anybody who is not a Biafran irrespective
of where you are, you can go ahead and do your business, till when the
territory will be fully under the control of Biafra government then whatever
option they present, you will accept it in good fate.
We equally
gathered that the state governor sent out some thugs and hungry security
operatives in Ebonyi state to use another padlock to lock any shop that was not
opened for business on May 30, 2018 in compliance to the 'Sit-At-Home' order.
The person who brought the information said that many shops at Kpirikpiri were
locked with another padlock by those sent by the governor.
Written by:
Ogeh Friday
Igiri
Okorie Tobias
Nwadike Kelvin
&
Eze Ifeanyi
For: Ebonyi State Media
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