Since Monday, the 9th of August 2021, the residents of the South East parts of Nigeria have been subjected to series of sit-at-home action imposed by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.
Though the self determination group had called off the weekly action, after the first Monday, reserving it only to the days Nnamdi Kanu, their leader will appear in court to answer to allegations of terrorism and others, normal socio-economic activities have continued to be on lockdown on such days in the region.
Residents of Abia State are lamenting the huge economic losses by the people as a result of the continued sit-at-home action.
Despite the purported suspension of the sit-at-home order by the leadership of the proscribed IPOB, many residents of Abia State, South East Nigeria are still apprehensive to go about their normal businesses.
Streets, roads, government offices, markets and other business areas in many parts of the region, have remained empty and deserted as only few human and vehicular movements are recorded on Mondays and other such days of the sit-at-home action.
But now the situation seem to be changing since last Monday, with more traders and public transporters returning to businesses.
Bright Eze, a popular Youghout seller who plies his business on a customized bicycle along the Bank Road in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, noted that the periods of the sit-at-home actions have been a harrowing experience, as he is a daily income earner.
The story of Rosemary Okorie, a provision shop owner in the same city, is nothing different.
Rosemary said she has lost a lot of income because her petty business on which a large family depends on, has been regularly shut down on Mondays and other days when the sit-at-home actions are ordered.
A financial expert, Kingsley Nwobilor and others are of the note that in the past two months, both the private and public sectors in Abia State may have lost over 40 per cent of their incomes, as businesses were severally shut down.
Many people are appealing to the authorities to do something urgently to save the zone before its economy completely collapses.