Enugu metropolis, southeast Nigeria is a ghost city as another Monday’s sit-at-home observance bites hard on socio-economic activities of the region.
Conflicting social media reports on whether the civil disobedience directive issued by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB is suspended or not has continued to paralyse movement and businesses in Enugu city.
The roads and streets are free with very few vehicular and human movements.
It’s mainly students writing examinations particularly the West African Senior Secondary Certificate examinations that are briskly making it to schools.
The markets, shops, and banks have not opened for businesses this Monday morning.
The situation is the same at major administrative and commercial hubs of the South East region.
The commercial cities of Aba, Onitsha, and Nnewi are reportedly on total lockdown this Monday morning.
However, the stories from Umuahia, Abakaliki, and Awka are slightly different as few vehicles, tricycles, and shops are operating in the cities.
The IPOB, a separatist agitation group based in the predominately Igbo ethnic South East region of Nigeria had ordered the people to stay away from public and business areas every Monday to protest the continued holding of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu in the custody of Nigeria’s secret police, the DSS.
Although the group had announced the suspension of the civil action, largely residents are keeping away choosing to stay indoors for fear of attacks and violence by the militant, Eastern Security Network, ESN, otherwise referred to as Unknown Gunmen, UGM.
Several violent attacks by unknown gunmen on security personnel, public facilities, and individuals in recent months have left hundreds, dead.
The self-imposed lockdown in the South East has terribly crippled the region’s economy which is known for trade and commerce.
Locals are not heeding to the directives of the constituted authorities in the region such as State governors, who have called on the people to ignore and disregard the orders of the illegal group, IPOB.
There are deep concerns that the region may be drifting to a situation of anarchy if the government does not take strong steps to address the situation.
