From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
The total lockdown and sit-at-home declared on Friday 30th May 2025 by the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and the Movement for Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) to honour Biafran fallen heroes recorded total compliance in the Onitsha metropolis.
From the city of Onitsha down to neighbouring towns of Nkpor, Ogidi, Obosi, Oba, Nkwele Ezunaka down to Nsugbe, all roads were deserted while vehicular and commercial activities were grounded.
Aside major roads and streets, all the markets, including the popular Onitsha main market, Ochanja, Relief, Ose, Electrical, Electronics, New Auto Spare Parts, New Tyres, Old Motor Spare Parts, among others are under lock and key, to the extent that entrance gates leading to some streets remain locked, apparently to ward off entrance of sit-at-home enforcers.
Even the security operatives stayed clear of the roads to an extent as against ordinary days when they mount check points in various places of the commercial city, except at the popular Nkpor Junction, near Onitsha where few policemen mounted check point apparently to scare sit-at-home enforcers.
Banks, schools were also closed even as the popular Upper Iweka down to Bridge Head which usually experienced traffic gridlock and long stretch of vehicular movements were deserted. There was pin drop silence on those areas when the reporter visited.
Chief Jude Nwankwo, Chairman of Building Materials International Market, Ogidi and also a Patron of Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders Association, ASMATA, confirmed to newsmen in his office on Thursday that apart from entertaining fears about the invasion markets by the enforcers who seldomly strike, the traders are not expecting any customer, particularly those from outside the state to come all the way from the North, West or South to patronize them on a Monday sit-at-home, let alone a Biafra Heroes day of this nature.
This year’s May 30 Biafra day appeared to be more intensive having been declared by both MASSOB and IPoB in remembrance of the Biafran fallen soldiers who lost their lives during the 1967 to 1970 civil war, unlike some other years when both agitators MASSOB and IPoB usually declare their own Biafra day sit-at-home on separate days.
Reacting to the development, Chief Godwin Ubaka Okeke, Chairman of GUO Motors Limited, told newsmen monitoring the exercise in his residence at GRA Area of Onitsha that there is nothing wrong with observing a Biafra day in honour of our fallen heroes but what sometimes seem to be wrong is the overzealousness with which they agitators are going about it.
Okeke lamented that in some cases, hoodlums would hijack such an exercise meant to be used to drive home some good points and turn it into a violent affair.
Okeke blamed our political leaders for the level of corruption going on in the country and which by extension has instilled evidence of marginalization against some ethnic, religious and tribal parts of the country.
Some traders who spoke to the reporter lamented that this sit at home order which fell on Friday has affected them seriously economically since they will still remain indoors on Monday to observe the forced Mondays sit-at-home again.