Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
Commercial activities were stalled and intending travelers stranded in Onitsha following the declaration of Sit-at-Home declared by the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB.
Though major markets in Onitsha metropolis like the Onitsha Main Market and Bridge Head market normally close shops on October 1 independence days, traders in the two markets and other markets like Ogbaru main market, Ochanja and Electromart all stayed at home.
While some of the traders engaged in drinking spree in most restaurant shops located in the streets, others played soccer and also carried out sanitation activities within their residences.
The ever busy Upper Iweka was deserted while most motor parks that normally attracted heavy human and vehicular traffic were deserted. Only few drivers of tricycles and commercial buses plying within the town service came out to offer skeletal services.
Armed security agents in various patrol vehicles were also seen patrolling in groups across various parts of the city to avert any possible breakdown of law and order.
Speaking on the development, a stranded passenger travelling to Lagos, Ikechukwu Ogbonna accused the IPOB members of playing on people’s intelligence and cashing on the National Public Holidays to declare a sit-at-home.
Another respondent, Michael Okeke told Daily Sun that those who stayed in their homes in Onitsha did that out of fear of being harmed in any way by the pro-Biafra groups.