Day 2: Anambra records 80% compliance to sit-at-home 

By Cyprian Ebele, Onitsha 

The Tuesday sit-at-home exercise  in Anambra State was worse than that of Monday sit-at-home as it was reported to be 80 per cent compliance following the complete desertion of major roads, markets, banks, offices, schools, courts, among others over fear of uncertainty.

During last Monday sit-at-home exercise there was little vehicular movement as some vehicles were seen plying to and from Onitsha but today, Tuesday, only a handful were seen and no passengers to carry.

Reacting, a transporter, who identified himself as Okoli Omamma said that, “Today is worse my brother because there are no passengers even if I am the only driver for Enugu. I will even get to my house since I have been at this Enugu park in Onitsha for five hours without a passenger. If it were yesterday, Monday, by now I have departed for Enugu,

“The roads are also deserted so I can’t blame the passengers and drivers for not coming out. They said the Autopilot Commander, Simon Ekpa, who stays in Finland ordered his boys to shoot on sight whoever that dares to come out. Even the security operatives are nowhere to be found.

“Government should beef up security in the entire Southeast zone because it is the poor that suffer more in a situation like this, some are not sure of three square meals a day let alone  staying for two days at home,” he cautioned.

Also a Civil servant at Awka, the state capital, Chief Nweke Obiala, warned that if government does not checkmate the activities of hoodlums who now claim to be members of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, with time the entire states in the Southeast would be taken over by the hoodlums.

“The IPOB I know cannot cage her people in the name of sit-at-home as honour to fallen Biafra heroes as they claim. These people holding their brothers hostage are criminals in IPOB regalia. They should be fished out and dealt with because they live with us. The community leaders know them and refuse to expose them because of fear of attack,” he fumed.

Also in his contribution, a trader in Onitsha who pleaded anonymity advised Governor Chukwuma Soludo to discard his order that those who do not open their shops should be sanctioned adding that opening of shops is not by force so long the trader who shut his shop pays his yearly stallage levy to the state government..

“Governor Soludo should leave us alone and fight the hoodlums who keep us in this situation. He has seen it that after giving the order it was 10 per cent compliance on Monday and today, Tuesday, zero per cent compliance. A complete lock down of markets.

“This is something that will fizzle out with time not by force. He should beef up security and ensure safety of lives and property of residents of the state. Today everywhere is deserted, even the perishable markets were shut,” he stated.