The “Biafran Heroes Day” sit-at-home declared by the Indigenous People of Biafra, has once again paralysed commercial and economic activities in parts of Anambra as banks, schools, markets, motor parks, and fuel stations and other public places were shut on Thursday.
Our correspondent who went around major cities in the state observed that several roads in Onitsha, Nnewi, Oba, Obosi, Awada, Ekwulobia, Umunze and some parts of Awka were empty as vehicles deserted the roads.
Even the usual security checkpoints in places like Enamel, People’s Club, Idemili by-pass, along the Onitsha-Owerri Road, which used to be filled with heavy security operatives, extorting motorists, and other checkpoints across the state, were empty as the security men were not on ground.
However, there were scanty movements in Awka and environs as heavy security presence were seen around public places and motor parks.
was also observed that there were no hitches for some of the students writing the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations. Some had left their homes and relocated near their examination centres on Wednesday, to save themselves from being stranded on the road.
The IPOB group had declared May 30(today) a sit-at-home across the South-East and directed every resident in the zone to stay at home in commemoration of “Biafra Heroes Day”.
The pro-Biafran group had declared the day as a day to celebrate its fallen heroes who died during the civil war between 1967 to 1970.As banks, marketplaces, schools, filling stations, courts, shopping plazas and other public places, remained shut, some youths were seen turning the vicinities into football pitches. Even the old and the Second Niger Bridge were empty.
The state police spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, assured residents to go about their normal business without any fear of molestation as security operatives have been deployed in strategic places, but the people have remained indoors.See photos below;
