From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Hoodlums who reportedly moved around the commercial city of Aba, Abia, on Monday, in the guise of enforcing the IPOB sit-at-home order, chased pupils and students from schools.
The men reportedly garbed in all-black attire, moved around Opobo Junction, Ogbor Hill axis and forced shop owners who opened for business to close.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has over time suspended its sit-at-home it had earlier ordered.
However, when it appeared some hoodlums were moving about burning vehicles and molesting people in the guise of enforcing the suspended sit-at-home order, IPOB leadership through spokesman Emma Powerful warned that the separatist group said it would set up a committee to deal with them.
Despite the warnings, some hoodlums went ahead today to force pupils and students who went to school in the Ogbor Hill area to go back home.
Traders within the Opobo Junction and the Ogbor Hill general area of the city were forced to close shops by the hoodlums who were reported to have sternly warned shop owners of getting something hot if they open for business on any other Monday going forward.
An unconfirmed report from the city also indicated that butchers within the Waterside area, who normally kill cows early Monday mornings for sale, could not open for business yesterday.
The hoodlums were said to have sent letters to the butchers at the weekend, warning them not to attempt opening for business yesterday or face the consequences.
Elsewhere in the city, the sit-at-home order compliance was total, the streets were deserted as there were no human or vehicular movements.
Banks, other public institutions and filling stations closed their gates to their customers.
Although markets were opened, there were no traders and customers as everybody stayed at home.
Regardless, in Umuahia the state capital, businesses moved on unhindered.
Markets, banks and shops opened for business, even as there were human and vehicular movements.
Workers reported for duty while pupils and students went to school unmolested.