Authorities of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in Abia State have said that Umuahia, the state capital and its suburbs are peaceful and calm . He spoke against the backdrop of a protest held yesterday to press for the release of banned IPOB lead, Nnamdi Kanu.
A chief superintendent (names withheld), who commented on the issue yesterday, there was no treat to peace in the state.
The #ReleaseNnamdiKanuNow protest was led by activist and journalist, Omoyele Sowore.
The officer spoke with LEADERSHIP at a popular and youth-attracting square in the capital, Monday.
Personnel of different security outfits were at the spot to monitor the situation.
Also, a businessman operating along Umuwaya Street at the centre of the capital, Clifford Okoro corroborated the officer’s assertion, suing for peace and understanding.
He added that as he was coming into the city from Ubakala, one of the suburbs, he noticed that “many business places including shops, banks, and government offices were shut, but everywhere was calm”.
According to a vegetable dealer at Isigate Market, Lillian Oduu, who said she was not aware of the announcement for the protest, “it was long time this Kanu issue was settled for Christ sake”.
At the office of the leader of the Hausa community, along Eket Street, where it was gathered that he was “momentarily unavailable”, a source said there had not been any cause for alarm.
The source, who explained that they decided to shut down their businesses and to remain within to avoid being molested by miscreants, maintained that they had not seen any reasons to panic.
Meanwhile, during the monitoring of the situation, a group of young Igbo and Hausa youths were spotted engaged in street football along Owerri Road and the adjoining streets.
While as at press time, the gates of government buildings, offices, banks, schools, filing station, and privates business places were shut, there was free human and vehicular movements in and out of the city.
