By Oge Onyeanusi, Onitsha
The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB sit-at-home order was a total compliance in Onitsha and environs, Anambra state, as markets, banks, offices, merchanic workshops, among others were completely shut down in solidarity to IPOB.
Also schools and local Government Areas headquarters’ gates were under lock and key as civil servants feared to report to their duty posts.
The flash points normally regarded as danger zones during times like this that include, Nkpor junction, Eke Nkpor, Borromeo round-about,
savoy, Upper Iweka, Bridgehead market, Uga junction, ’33’ junction, Ogbomanu, Ochanja round-about, among others were completely deserted.
No vehicular movement and the tricycle (keke) operators that have taken over the roads since the ban of motorcycles in the two out of the three senatorial zones of the state, also deserted the roads in compliance.
Reacting to the development, the state chairman of National Conscience Party, NCP, Chief Peter Okala, said that sit-at-home order was a channel through which IPOB expressed its grievances on the alleged marginalization of the Igbo nation adding, “it is not a violent means of protest”.
“The killing of Igbo during the Biafra/Nigeria civil war has not been addressed by any government since after the war.
I even want the sit-at-home to be conducted for three consecutive days so that the economic activities will be grounded to remind the government of the Igbo problem with a view to solving it”.
“It is a proper way of expressing one’s mind not violence. I detest violence and even if you are my mother I will not take it”.
Reacting, the state chairman of Civil Liberties Organisation, CLO, comrade Vincent Ezekwueme, stated that, “everybody is indoors”
“You can’t beat the child and ask him/her not to cry. The govenment should look into the agitation with a view to considering some of the good reasons for the agitation”
“People obeyed the sit-at-home to show solidarity to those who lost their lives during the war and others who died in course for freedom”.
According to him there is need for dialogue as means of nibbing the problem in the nub instead of using violence.
“It is not a welcome development going by the current economic hardship to employ violence in agitating for sessession” he stated.
The CLO boss reiterated that the Federal Government is suppose to listen to the agitators in a bid to restore peace that is currently eluding the country for insecurity.
Add Comment