By Favour Goodness
Onitsha, the commercial hub of Anambra state and environs were on Monday a shadow of itself as residents stayed indoors in compliance with the sit-at-home order of the Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) in five South Eastern states.
Loading ...This has continued two months after the separatist group, said it had cancelled its weekly sit-at-home order in protest against detention of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu by Federal Government and refusal to produce him in court.
The banks, schools, markets, filling stations, offices and motor parks were on Monday under lock and key.
Our Correspondent, who monitored the development, saw the popular Onitsha Main Market deserted by traders, banks shut, youths playing football at varous available spaces.
Mr Ifeanyichukwu Odili, a trader accused the state government of having hand in the closure of the markets, including the popular Main Market, Onitsha.
“All the vigilante operatives both in the communities and markets are under the payroll of government, yet it refused to direct them to take control of the situation in both communities and markets.
“Government is financing the situation knowingly and unknowingly because they are paying market security outfits who are under the leadership of various markets which it also controls.
“If the situation continued, most of us will be out of business, and with more suffering.
“The cost of living is very high now, the price of goods skyrocking daily and out of reach of the poor masses. We want government intervention to save the situation from deteriorating.
“We are also worried that months after the sit-at-home order was cancelled by IPOB, people because of fears have continued to obey it,” he said.
School authorities had on Friday informed the pupils and students not to come to schools on Monday, making them to take away.
A private school headmistress under condition of anonymity told our Correspondent that the situation was already affecting studies by both pupils and students, even the teachers and authorities.
A civil servant in the state who did want his name in the print said that they hardly go to work on Mondays because of no vehicular movements in the day.
“The situation is affecting the state’s economy and people therein. It needs the political will of the state government to resolve the impasse,” he said.
