By Cajetan Mmuta, Awka
The fear of a sudden deadly onslaught by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra and its militant arm, the Eastern Security Network (ESN) in making sure that its weekly Monday sit-at-home directive on residents and people across five states in the South-East zone of Nigeria’s is observed, is becoming worrisome.
Investigations show that the activities of the groups’ members in villages, communities, and urban areas in the states of the zone have been negatively affecting government businesses, as well as private individuals and organisations.
While some workers or staff of some government agencies and parastatals now stay away from their offices on Mondays over the fear of gunmen masquerading as IPoB/ESN, core investment companies, major supermarkets, and businesses have continued to relocate to other states with safer environments that allow businesses to thrive.
The attendant effect is increased capital flight from the troubled states of the zone to ‘safe havens’.
The five states of Abia, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, and Imo that make up the South-East geopolitical zone of the country have come under the siege of violent attacks and clashes by unknown gunmen.
Operatives of the Federal Government’s Joint Security Taskforce made up of soldiers, the police, local vigilantes, as well as men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have their hands full.
The non-state actors are fighting against what they call criminal conspiracy and marginalisation of the South-East area by the Federal Government, activities of Funali herders who allegedly rape, maim, kill and destroy crops of people in the area, including the massive campaign for the release of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
Kanu is being detained in the facility of the Department of State Services (DSS) despite being discharged and acquitted by the nation’s appeal court over alleged terrorism and treasonable charges.
No fewer than 10,000 persons including youths, middle-aged men, and elderly as well as security personnel have been reported killed and others declared missing since 2012.
That follows the infamous days of the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), in the wake of the clashes between government forces.
*Enugu
A source in Enugu State disclosed that some workers in the state now stay away from work on Mondays to avoid being victims of gunmen attacks. The state government appears tired of the entire activity of the Biafra agitators and has therefore stopped mounting pressure on the workers.
The source, who pleaded for anonymity, said, “Sit-at-home in Enugu is a partial thing, but if you like you go to school or work and even the market. Although the state government, through the security agencies, provides a heavy security presence by deploying armoured tanks on streets and major roads, insecurity has become very high. People are afraid to go to work and even schools have received warning letters against opening on Mondays.”
*School pupils no longer sing the national anthem over fear of agitator’s action
He added, “Schools were not singing the National Anthem before the attacks started, and when some started singing the anthem and national pledge, they were given warning letters and they stopped. Most missionary schools don’t open because of fear, while others operate based on choice.
“Going to work on Mondays is about choice because after the governor visited some areas last year, and that protest that led to the death of about three persons, people are allowed to do things on their own.
‘’There is no pressure on them. Even traders at the main Ogbete Market open their shops, but you may not see the thing you want to buy because not everybody will open his or her shop on Mondays.
“Even those who come to the market will tell you they came to clean or sweep their shops, and before you know it, those little areas that open will gradually close by noon. Security will then ask people to leave the market.”
*Imo
In Imo State, a resident who gave his name as James (surname withheld), said “The issue is that there are areas in some communities who observe the sit-at-home completely- in schools, markets and churches. In towns, some schools, banks and filling stations open and some don’t operate.”
“Some civil servants go to work, while others don’t- that’s the situation here. There are some communities where you cannot see any movement of people at all, and markets and shops are not open for business.
“In Owerri, the capital town, there is movement, but some schools open and others don’t. Some workers in the ministries and parastatals go to work while others don’t, even when there are buses to carry them. The state government has provided buses to ease transport problems for the workers. In some areas, the number of workers at work is usually scanty.”
*Ebonyi
In Ebonyi, it was learnt that workers in the state judiciary don’t go to work on Mondays while there are skeletal services due to the absence of many workers in their offices.
A source said, “Government offices open on Mondays, but it’s skeletal. The Government House and some ministries at Ochiudo City Secretariat open, while others don’t open due to fear. At times, the state government issues queries to workers who refuse to go to work.
*Anambra
Anambra State is not ruled out too as some ministries outside the state secretariat do not open for work while others open their offices for work.
Governor Chukwuma Soludo had sometimes threatened the workers with sacks for not coming to work.
Checks showed that staff of the Ministry of Agriculture and other agencies of state government do not go to work nor open their offices on Mondays.
This is attributable to the fear of being attacked by gunmen.
*Abia
Abia, which is the home state of the IPoB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, has always been the hotbed of activities of the proscribed group.
The Ariaria Main market and other major markets have always been shut under controversy.
Further checks show that banks, the Eke Awka daily market, business premises, and filling stations do not operate on Mondays, but there are usually skeletal businesses for those who bother to open.
Investigations also revealed that the socio-cultural-economic and political fortunes of the geopolitical zone are seriously depleted.
The periodic political activism or campaigns before, during, and after elections are on the ebb, while cultural pride and booming economic zeal for which the Southeast is reputed is also low.
The glamour and flamboyance of politics, government, and governance have completely disappeared.
Sadly, crime and criminality, including corruption, kidnapping, armed robbery, violent killings, and arson have become the day.
Some highly-placed politicians, professionals, businessmen, captains of industry, and artisans have either been hounded, killed, or have their properties burnt. Public properties are also not spared.
Many targeted individuals are now on self-exile while the villages and communities have been deserted due to the heartlessness of unknown gunmen in the states.
Police and policing have been overstretched, with the security agents toiling day and night risking their lives while others pay the national sacrifice.
Several women have been made widows after the death of breadwinners of their homes while children suddenly turn to orphans, even as the people remain homeless.
The directive by IPoB/ESN for weekly Monday sit-at-home on residents and the people in the South-East has sparked crippling effects with major daily markets, commercial banks, schools, and business centres remaining shut while residents stay indoors.
An estimated N5trn worth of goods and properties have been lost to the clampdown by IPoB/ESN and the activities of other splinter groups operating under the guise of unknown gunmen.
The South-East Governors Forum has made spirited efforts to restore peace and sanity as well as development in their home states by instituting the controversial Ebubeagu security outfit, otherwise known as vigilante services, but the spate of insecurity has remained a nightmare to the people.
The struggle for Biafra Republic by IPoB/ESN agitators is taking several twists and turns as the influence of the agitators has been permeating the inner recesses of the hinterlands.
Also, there is a heightened fear of dangerous legal arms in the hands of the terrorists with hideouts in the villages and communities of the affected states.
The unstable security situation in the South-East is made worse by the deafening silence of the Federal Government to the several calls by concerned stakeholders for the release of Kanu, as part of the efforts to bring lasting peace to the troubled zone.
There are questions about how best to reboot or launch back the states to enviable socio-economic and flamboyant political status as the grassroots suffer amid hunger and the nightmare of insecurity.
Governors now surround themselves with heavy security provided by soldiers, police, and other outfits.
