By Cajetan Mmuta
An estimated over three billion naira (N3bn) cash was lost in various transactions as banks, markets, and other economic activities were shut across the five states in the Southeast geo-political zone of the country.

This followed the sudden declaration of Sit-At-Home order on Tuesday by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) across the state of Anambra, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi, and Imo respectively due to prayers and fasting exercise organized for the IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is being detained in the facility of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Abuja.

Kanu is presently facing charges of treasonable felony, terrorism, and others brought against him at the High Court Abuja by the federal government through the office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice of the Federation, Mallam Abubakar Malami.

Checks in major towns across the states in the geo-political zone showed that businesses, markets, motor parks, schools, and filling stations were shut down to enable the IPOB members to observe the prayer session.

Sadly, prayer and fasting exercises which caught several people unawares did not receive wider publicity and it came at a time majority of Ndigbo in the southeast have heaved a sigh of relief that IPOB repeated sit-at-home directive had been suspended indefinitely.

Findings showed that most businesses and activities of multi-national companies as well as firms have relocated out of the states following threats to lives and security.

It was also learned that economic activities of the states have been adversely due to the constant closure of markets, shops, and businesses as the traders and shop owners do not break even in addition to the harsh economic realities and poverty ravaging every segment of the society.

Although, normalcy had since returned to the states as the dust deadly activities of unknown gunmen have died down in the past three weeks coupled with the suspension of Monday’s Sit-At-Home order by IPOB.

The secessionist group had also threatened to deal with anybody who may impose any form of Sit-At-Home on people of the Southeast saying that person would be considered an an enemy of Ndigbo and the move was to allow businesses and market to resume in the states.

It is on record that core stakeholders in the region had drummed support for the unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from the DSS detention camp and the plea was subsequently backed by a high powered visit to President Muhammadu Buhari in Aso Rock recently by a delegation of Igbo leaders and elders led by former first republic Aviation Minister Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, former Governor of Anambra State, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife and many others, at which they demanded the release of the Afara Ukwu born Kanu.

President Buhari during the visit had assured the Igbo leaders and elders to consider their demand which he said was also too heavy for him.

Also, Chief Whip of the Senate and former Governor of Abia state, Senator Orji Uzor Kanu few days ago paid a personal visit to the DSS facility in Abuja to see Mazi Nnamdi Kanu wherein he shared a heart to heart conversation with the IPOB leader on the need to soft-pedal in his approach in the interest of Ndigbo in general.

However, ThisNigeria investigations revealed that Markets, banks, shops, schools, and filling stations in parts of Awka, Nnewi, and Onitsha as well as others in Aba, Umuahia on Abia state and Enugu state as well as Imo state were closed.

Students, pupils and bank workers who left for work and schools earlier in the day went back home.

The ever-busy and popular Upper Iweka motor parks and Relief Market, Drugs Market and Bridgehead area Eke Awka Market, Onitsha International Market, Building Materials Market Nkpor, New Parts Market and Nkwor Nnewi Auto Parts Market; Ariaria International Market on Aba, Eke Onuwa Market in Owerri and Ogbete Market in Enugu and others were deserted.

Further checks showed that motor parks in the states were ghosts of themselves, there were skeletal activities by tricycle operators who plied the routes in the early hours and later disappeared from roads for fear of attacks by suspected IPOB members.

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A tricycle operator who gave his name simply as Obi Chuks said “The fasting and prayer thing but IPOB is good for Ndigbo because we have suffered and are still suffering in the hands of the government of Nigeria.”

He stated that “Our leader Mazi Kanu deserve our own sacrifices through committed prayers and fasting. A day’s spiritual exercise is not too much for a man who is suffering for many. We pray that God gives him strength and long life to continue to do the sacrifice of freedom and unity of our Igbo people ”

Also, Nze. Offor said, “My brother we are tired of this thing (Sit-At-Home). Anyway, it’s good for our people but I want to ask them to be making such things public because we didn’t know that today (Tuesday) is going to be like this. Our leaders should wake up and do more for the good of Ndigbo. God help us all.”
However, a team of police had patrolled around major roads and streets of Awka to forestall any breach of peace in the capital town of Awka and its environs.

Police Public Relations Officer of the command DSP Ikenga Tochukwu when contacted on phone by our Correspondent said operatives of the force in the state had gone round the streets and major roads during the day, pointing out that there were no reports of any incidents from any part of the state.