By Kamsi Anayo, Awka
Most residents of Anambra State decided to stay indoors in adherence to the Monday’s sit-at-home declared by the Indigenous People of Briafra.
Also busy eateries, beer parlours, play grounds, streets and major roads that had a lot of activities in the previous Mondays’ sit-at-home, were deserted.
Busy joints that include, Nkpor Junction, Ezeiweka/Onitsha/Owerri road, Ojedi/Oguta road, Nkwo triangle Nnewi, Nnobi junction, Aroma junction Awka, state capital, among others were completely deserted.
According to Chief Emeka Ojemba, a trader in Onitsha, “this Monday sit-at-home is different from the previous ones because people are scared to go out as a result of the incessant killings being recorded on daily basis every where in the state”
“There is no Monday sit-at-home now that lives and property are not lost. So there is fear in the land and the worst is that nobody to challenge them,( gunmen) as they embark on killing sprees”
In the words of comrade John Osihe, an Nnewi based activist, “my brother what is happening now calls for fervent prayers. It is killings all over the land whether on Monday sit-at-home or not, there is no day you will not hear of murder.
“People are being slaughtered like cows and I pray God will help Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo to overcome this massacre of fellow human beings.
“How can we go out when hoodlums and miscreants have taken over the land in the name of IPOB enforcing a non existent sit-at-home?”
Reacting, a civil servant who pleaded anonymity recalled that, “innocent people were killed before the present situation degenerated and the Governors of the Southeast then were busy embezzling the people’s money.
“Today it has gone out of hand. How many of them are fighting the unknown gunmen. Tell them that they are not safe, I am even better than them because if the gunmen get them it is big catch.
“It is because of fear that even the street markets could not open unlike before, let alone major markets like Bridge head, Oseokwodu, Ogbaru relief, Main market, Ochanja and others.”
“As usual, banks, schools, offices, courts, supper markets, petrol stations, and even eateries remain closed to avoid being attacked by the unknown gunmen” he said.
Meanwhile the Onitsha/Enugu expressway, Onitsha/Asaba/Benin/Lagos expressway, Onitsha/Owerri road and the Onitsha/Otuocha/Nsukka road, were all deserted this Monday.
As usual, residents only come out from their houses as from 6pm when all about sit-at-home may have been dealt with by the so called unknown gunmen.