Compliance with the sit-at-home order on Mondays by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra has reduced in many parts of the South East, findings by our correspondents have revealed.
The order, a protest aimed at forcing the federal government to release IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu who is facing charges connected to activism for the actualisation of the independence of Biafra covering the South East states, was being enforced by IPOB and the Eastern Security Network (ESN), its paramilitary wing.
Though the group had in the past said the order had been suspended, some residents of states in the zone continued staying at home on Mondays, probably out of fear.
IPOB had earlier dissociated itself from the order. Its spokesman, Emma Powerful, said the order had been cancelled.
Residents of Imo State, for instance, told LEADERSHIP at the weekend that they were no longer comfortable with the directive.
Speaking with our correspondent, a resident, Uche Onwuchekwa, said a lot of challenges were confronting him, and sitting at home would not solve them.
He noted that many people are passing through difficult times, occasioned by the economic hardship in the country.
Onwuchekwa stressed that feeding his family was posing a great challenge, and if Mondays were removed, it would be difficult to take care of the family’s needs.
Chief press secretary to the state governor, Oguike Nwachuku, said there was nothing like sit-at-home on Mondays in the state anymore.
According to him, the federal and state governments are the only constituted authorities to declare public holidays in the country.
“In Imo State, the people have been directed to go about their normal businesses on Mondays without fear, as the government has put mechanisms in place for peace and tranquility,” he said.
In January 2025, however, over 22 people were slain by gunmen suspected to be IPOB members in Umukabia, Eziawa, Ihittenasa, Umuhu, Amaoku and Amaebe, all in Orsu local government area of Imo State.
On July 24, suspected IPOB members allegedly invaded three communities of Umualoma, Ndiakunwanta and Ndiejezie in Arondizogu, all in Ideato /Ideato North local government area and killed 26 people. The killings were, however, not established to be linked directly to the order, as our correspondents say the residents were too scared to publicly complain.
In Ebonyi, the sit-at-home order has largely remained ineffective as people now go about their normal businesses within and outside the state capital unmolested.
The level of compliance in the state remains at zero level, according to our correspondent. Residents usually go about their daily routines and businesses, and the order is not being enforced by any group.
Schools, businesses, banks and markets usually open every Monday to attend to their duties. The state government, in its bid to ensure that the order remains ineffective, set up a task force to ensure that banks, markets, schools and other offices remain open as the task force moves round to ensure compliance with the government’s directive.
Besides, security agencies in the state have discouraged the people from observing the IPOB order as a combined team of security agencies usually embarks on shows of force to assure the people of their security.
Ebonyi, being an agricultural state, places value on normal daily activities which include trading and farming, apart from agribusiness. Most of the people depend on their daily businesses to make ends meet, thereby contributing to non-compliance with the order.
The police spokesman in the state, SP Joshua Ukandu, told LEADERSHIP that the people do not observe the directive anymore, and that this had made the job of security agencies easier.
Before now, there was fear of possible attacks with consistent assurances from the police command and sister agencies, but such fear has waned. Every Monday, people go about their normal businesses.
Compliance with the order has steadily declined in most parts of Abia State, except in some rural communities where schools are shut and vehicular movement is scanty on Mondays.
Speaking to LEADERSHIP in Aba, the commercial hub of the state, some respondents said rather than staying idle while most of the markets are shut, they now use the day for meetings or “little pleasure”.
However, those who choose to either hang around their places of residence or decide not to travel on the highways say they do so out of fear of the “unknown”, especially of criminal elements who use the period for nefarious activities.
While the government has been urging the people to go about their normal businesses with the assurance of security of lives, IPOB itself is said to have cancelled the order but some residents are not amused.
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