Sola Ojo, Kaduna
Despite lifting the curfew earlier imposed on Kaduna and its environs by the state government, as immediate measure to restore sanity in the state, most shops belonging to Igbo traders have remained shut even as work has resumed at different locations visited by Daily Sun, yesterday.
The Governor Nasir-El-rufai-led administration had, on two occasions, imposed a 24-hour curfew on the town and its environs.
This was as results of killings in Kasuwan Magani in Kajuru Local Government Area of the state and abduction and killing of Angom Adara, Dr Maiwada Galadima, on Thursday last week, before it was relaxed on Sunday.
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Though there were many people trying to withdraw cash from Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) in different areas, students and pupils were also not in schools.
In areas like Yakubu Gowon Way, Muhammadu Buhari Way, Ali Akilu road, Kachia road, Independence Way and Constitution Road, among others, business activities have resumed and commercial buses were seen on the major roads.
But, several shops belonging to Igbo merchants along Zaria road, Ibrahim Taiwo road and Jos road, all located along Ahmadu Bello way, remained shut.
This, they attributed to suspicion activities of hoodlums who were hanging around Cooperative and Leventis bus stops, waiting for the slightest opportunity to attack and loot shops should there be any breakdown of law and order within the area.
However, other businesses like boutiques, supermarkets, banks and bookstores were seen doing their legitimate business in the area.
Public Relations Officer, Igbo Delegate Assembly, which is the umbrella body for Igbo in 19 Northern States and FCT, Northwest Zone, Chief Dominic Uzu, in an interview said, Igbo merchants could not risk losing their life-savings to miscreants hanging in the area, until they are sure normalcy has fully returned after the weeklong curfew.
The guys have to watch and be sure peace has actually returned in Kaduna, because they are the worse losers in crisis in Kaduna. These are the people with visible property all around.”
“Igbo are the target of hoodlums in Kaduna anytime there is crisis. These hoodlums, from previous experiences, hang around waiting for any unrest to happen and begin attacking and looting electronic shops.
“These are the guys that have been in business for decades and some of them have lost their loved ones and businesses to crisis in Kaduna before.
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“So, whenever there is crisis and curfew imposed, they have to watch carefully to ensure they are save and their businesses too are save to some extent. That was what happened and I can tell you, that was the best thing for them to do.
“Security agents need to be up and doing. They need to move to places like Leventis roundabout, Kawo Bridge and area called black spot in Sabon Tasha and deal with those miscreants who hang there without doing anything meaningful apart from constituting nuisance to those who are doing their legitimate businesses”, the Igbo leader said.