Streets deserted as Residents observe sit-at-home declared by IPOB to mark Biafra day
Streets deserted as Residents observe sit-at-home declared by IPOB to mark Biafra day
Towns and villages across Anambra State were largely deserted on Friday as residents observed the sit-at-home directive declared by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to mark Biafra Day.
The annual remembrance, held every May 30, led to a widespread shutdown of commercial and public activities across the state.
In Awka, the state capital, markets, motor parks, schools, banks, shops, and even government offices remained closed, with streets unusually empty and minimal vehicular movement.
A Daily Post correspondent who monitored the situation reported that major roads were deserted, with few pedestrians and vehicles in sight.
Similar reports of compliance came from residents in other towns and rural communities across the state.
Despite assurances from the Anambra State Police Command that adequate security had been deployed to prevent any outbreak of violence, most residents appeared to have stayed indoors out of caution.
One resident, Moses Ezeh, said the widespread compliance was driven largely by fear of potential unrest.
He noted the absence of violence but linked the tension free atmosphere to the ongoing detention of separatist leaders Nnamdi Kanu and Simon Ekpa.
Authorities had earlier urged residents to disregard the sit-at-home order and go about their normal activities, promising security presence at strategic locations across the state.
However, the total shutdown suggests continued apprehension among residents regarding the consequences of defying IPOB’s directives, even in the absence of overt threats or incidents.
“I think it is just fear that is keeping people at home. The deserted nature of the streets today is just because of fear of what had happened in previous years, where IPOB used to threaten to deal with anyone who dared to disobey their order for people to stay at home.
“In this year’s exercise, we did not witness threats from Kanu as he is still in DSS custody. Also, Ekpa who took over from him after his arrest in 2021, has also been arrested and detained in Finland. So, there was no one to incite people into violent enforcement of the exercise. It was just fear that kept people in their homes,” Ezeh said.
