Apart from the normal Monday sit-at-home, Tuesday was also declared a public holiday by the Indigenous People of Biafra, being the day Nnamdi Kanu would be appearing in court.
IPOB had declared that business, educational and commercial activities be shut in solidarity any day Kanu’s case came up in court, which meant that Monday and Tuesday would be work-free days in the entire South-East.
Although IPOB had continuously told the people to ignore the Monday sit-at-home, that it had been cancelled, the people had continued to observe it for fear of attack by hoodlums, who always went around for enforcement.
Not even the pleas and assurances by the state Police Commissioner, Mr Echeng Echeng, for the people to ignore the sit-at-home, could make them come out.
Echeng had said, “There is nothing like sit-at-home, people should go about their legitimate business and report to us any strange persons that seem to be enforcing it.”
As usual, on the day, all activities were grounded in major cities of Anambra, including the roads seen deserted.
While reacting to the two-day sit-at-home, a businessman in Onitsha who identified himself as Mr Onyema Achiha, said, “The negative effect of this two-day sit-at-home serves the people of the South-East right because we are the architect of our own problem.
“Our politicians, who are representing us in the three tiers of government are selfish. Always interested in what will benefit them, so let them give that money that goes to their pocket to unknown gunmen who enforce a non-existent sit-at-home.”
In her contribution, a civil servant, based in Bayelsa State, Mrs Nneka Nkechikwue, said, “I travelled down on Saturday to make purchases for Tuesday, but nobody told me that Tuesday is another holiday and so I have to stay put until Wednesday.
“I only know of Monday, I don’t know that any day Nnamdi Kanu will appear in court is added public holiday in the South-East.”
At the Nkpor area near Onitsha, a carpenter who pleaded anonymity said, “Things are getting worse these days. The only people enjoying this sit-at-home are the civil servants because they must receive their salary come rain, come sunshine.
The beer parlours, playgrounds, streets and major roads that used to bubble on previous Mondays’ sit-at-home, were always deserted these days as cases of killings over non-compliance increased.
Busy joints that include Nkpor Junction, Ezeiweka/Onitsha/Owerri road, Ojedi/Oguta road, Nkwo triangle Nnewi, Nnobi junction, Aroma junction Awka, the state capital, among others were completely deserted.
As usual, banks, schools, offices, courts, supper markets, petrol stations, markets and eateries remained shut.
The Onitsha/Enugu expressway, Onitsha/Asaba/Benin/Lagos expressway, Onitsha/Owerri road and the Onitsha/Otuocha/Nsukka road, were all deserted this Monday.
