May 30th of every year, has been set aside by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and other Pro- Biafra groups to mourn members who lost their lives during the military invasion in Abia state
Recall that members of the IPOB in 2017 were massively killed by military men in a bid to stop the agitations exhuming from the area for a Biafra republic.
Unlike previous years,today’s sit at home order was quite different from what we used to see in Abia, as the order did not hold water in the Umuahia metropolis.
Our Reporter who went round the Umuahia city centre observed that commercial activities were at its peak as road users were going about their businesses without hinges.
At the Isigate axis,traders were seen doing their daily transactions with buyers and other passers-by trooping in and out of the area with no regard for the order.
Speaking with a trader who would not want his name displayed, said he came out today to do his business and look for what his family would eat,stating that the sit at home order cannot put food on his table.
Another trader who sells clothes,said he does not believe in Biafra, neither does he take orders from Nnamdi Kanu, therefore, he has no respect for the order.
Along the Library road area where major banks were situated in Umuahia, Banks were seen opened with customers going in and out of each branch. At the Fidelity Bank, banking activities were ongoing with a few number of customers at the banking hall.
When our Reporter desired to find out from the bank operatives why they did not respect the sit-at-home order, the management of the bank said they do not grant interviews to the press, saying they all came to work today because today was not declared as public holiday by any constituted authority.
Some customers were seen discussing outside the banking premises, attributing the low compliance of the sit-at-home order to the stand of the South East governors,who they say, have betrayed the Igbo nation.
A civil servant among them who is employed by the Abia state government, said he went to work because of the directive of the state government, stating that any worker who do not come to work today would not be paid.
In the morning hours around the city centre, there was a fair compliance as there were few motorists seen plying the ever busy Ikot – Ekpene road in Umuahia and other busy routes.
At about 11:00am, the movement along major routes experienced a slight increase, as people were all rushing out after they have observed the order was not serious.
Our schools were not left out,as some of the government schools visited like the Ndume Otuka Secondary school, Ibeama community school Umuana,and some private schools,were all opened with teachers on ground but students did not come out fully today. In Ibeama community school Umuahia, a class of 30 were seen with pupils of 10 and that was the case with other schools visited.
It was gathered that some schools used this week to be their mid-term break because of the series of public holidays in the week. First with Children’s day, Democracy day, and the sit at home order.
As at the time of filing this report, the workers Secretariat in Umuahia did not record a beehive of activities, even though offices were opened, visitors were not forth coming coupled with the heavy down pour experienced today.
