By Izunna Okafor, Awka
Residents of some communities in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State have lamented over the sustained strict enforcement of the Monday sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB), in the area.
One of the residents who spoke under the condition of anonymity alleged that, although, enforcers of the sit-at-home order (arm-bearing men) are no longer regularly seen on the road now like before; they (the residents themselves) now willingly comply to the order due to fear already instilled in them by the people.
The source recalled that previously, in all the communities in the council area, the gummen would be seen flauntinly parading their guns, on Mondays, in a bid to ensure full compliance to the sit-at-home order.
According to the source, the regular presence of the heavily-armed men on the community roads then instilled fear in the residents, to the extent that even now that the gunmen are no longer parading to enforce the sit-at-home as usual, the community roads are still scanty every Monday, while the residents remain indoors every, in compliance with the sit at home, for the fear of the unknown.
It was also gathered that the case is not different in many other communities, cities and local government areas within the Anambra South Senatorial Zone, as people still fearfully comply to she sit-at-home, even without anybody enforcing it.
In Nnewi commercial city, for instance, it was observed that markets and streets shops are locked up every Monday, with very scanty human and vehicular movements, while movements to or from the city is almost impossible, as no commercial driver or transport company dares works on Monday due to the sit-at-home, which, was is usually strict in the morning and afternoon hours, but gets mild in the evening with very little human or vehicular movements.
The situation is said to be comparably same in Onitsha, which is in Anambra North Senatorial Zone and few other communities in the environ.
When this reporter tours round the Awka city metropolis, it was observed that some shops, markets and parks still comply to the Monday sit-at-home, especially those around around the Unizik Junction (Temp. Site), Eke Awka market, Kwata Abattoir, Amansea and others, as instructed by the management or decided by their individual owners.
When interviewed, some of the butchers who work or trade meats at the Kwata Abattoir revealed that they now kill cows and animals in the bush every Monday, as the Abattoir is usually locked up by the market leadership.
This, they said, is one of the reasons why meats now arrive late to markets in Awka every Monday and also cost higher, unlike other days of the week.
Human and vehicular movements are, however, comparably higher in Awka, unlike in the other places earlier discussed.
Speaking with this reporter at a joint where they were accosted drinking beer, some private shuttle bus drivers who no longer go to work on Mondays, Mr. Afam Iloka and Makuochukwu Udeze said that, although nobody forced them not to go work, but revealed that they decided not to go work, first because of the fear, and secondly to let the government know that they are not happy with the continued detention of the IPOB Leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
They, however, confessed that the sit-at-home has really affected their transport business, and called on Federal Government to immediately release Nnamdi, so as to bring an instant end to the sit-at-home.
