Some South East States residents on Saturday
defied the directive of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign
State of Biafra to sit at home in protest against the killing of Igbo people in
the North by the Boko Haram sect.
MASSOB had issued the directive to residents in
the states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that across the
five states, commercial activities did not commence early in the morning.
In Imo, the residents went about their normal
businesses in spite of the MASSOB directive, following a directive by the state
government.
The Commissioner for Information in Imo State,
Chinedu Offor, had in a statement urged the people to ignore the directive and
go about their normal businesses.
Also in Abakaliki, the markets were open and
people carried on their normal businesses.
Chief Basil Akilo, a businessman, said: “It is
difficult for people to forsake their business activities for a cause which
would not have direct impact on them.”
DSP Sylvester Igbo, the Ebonyi Police Command
Public Relations Officer, said although individuals or groups had the right to
express their views, it should not constitute a threat to public peace.
Igbo said: “We have, therefore, stationed our
officers at strategic positions of the town and other parts of the state to
forestall the breakdown of law and order.
“We call on the citizens to go about their businesses
without fear and report suspicious persons or movements to security agencies.”
In Umuahia, Abia State, armed policemen and other
security agencies, paraded major streets.
Some traders, who opened their shops, said they
did so because of the tight security provided in the state capital.
Geoffery Ogbonna, the Police Public Relations
Officer in the state, told NAN that the police adopted a proactive approach to
neutralise the MASSOB directive.
Ogbonna said: “Our aim was to nip their intention
in the bud to ensure that residents carried out their normal activities.
“That was a proactive measure which we carried
out.”
In Aba, the commercial city of Abia State,
business activities did not commence early in the morning as shops opened about
noon even in the ever busy Asa-Park Road axis.
John Nwiwu, a motor park worker, said that he and
some others had to wait till their colleagues who came on surveillance reported
back.
Nwiwu said: “Right now you can see that the park
is full. It was not so some hours ago.
“Our people stayed at home until some of our men
who came out to see what was happening reported back to us on phone that there
was no problem.
“Now everybody is here and passengers are being
moved to all the destinations that buses and taxis in this park go to.”
But in Onitsha, Anambra State, security operatives
dispersed MASSOB members, who came out to make bonfires on major roads of the
commercial town.
NAN reports that more than 200 policemen supported
by detachments of the army and navy were stationed in strategic locations in
the town.
Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka, a chieftain of Ohaneze in
Anambra State, said the signs of compliance with the directive noticed in the
town were due to fear instilled in the people.
“Brave people among the people went out and nobody
molested or waylaid anyone,” he said.
However in Awka, the Anambra State capital, there
was low human and vehicular traffic.
Although the city was calm, the popular
Enugu-Onitsha Road was deserted.
At Eke-Awka Market, the major market in the town,
shops remained shut as the vigilance group in charge of security in the market
did not allow traders to gain entry into the facility.
There were bonfires at Oye-Agu Junction but NAN
learnt that the MASSOB members were dispersed by security operatives.
A resident, Chuma Ndukaife, said he did not want
to risk going out because of the uncertainty of the security situation.
Ndukaife said: “I cannot go out because I am
confused with the different statements.
“MASSOB said we should be indoors and the government
said otherwise but as you can see, the streets are empty.”
The Police Public Relations Officer in Anambra
State, Emeka Chukwuemeka, said the sit-at-home directive failed since there was
vehicular and human movement throughout the state.
A NAN correspondent in Nsukka, Enugu State,
reported that there was heavy police presence around Ogige Market, while many
shops remained closed.
When contacted, the Divisional Police Officer,
James Nwokolo, said that duty of police was to provide security for residents.
Nwokolo said: “Our duty is to provide security for
residents, we will not force anybody to open his or her shop.
“Policemen are everywhere to ensure that nobody
molested anybody who wanted to do his lawful business.”
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