There are signs that residents of the southeast may be forced to observe a four-day lockdown from Monday, as IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu’s treason trial is set to resume at a Federal High Court, Abuja.
Kanu is scheduled to appear in court from January 18-20.
IPOB, an outlaw group leading the agitation for the creation of an independent state, Biafra, from southeastern Nigeria and parts of the south-south, had suspended its sit-at-home order from the previous Monday, preferring this (the order) will be implemented only on days when Mr. Kanu appears in court.
The region is likely to observe the stay-at-home order on affected days, other than Mondays, even though it has been lifted.
The court in November adjourned Mr. Kanu’s trial until January after Mr. Kanu’s lawyers staged a strike. The lawyers had accused the Nigerian secret police, SSS, of preventing them from entering the courtroom.
Despite its suspension, residents of the five southeastern states (Enugu, Ebonyi, Anambra, Imo and Abia) have continued to observe Monday’s stay-at-home order, mainly out of fear.
Some residents and motorists have recently been attacked in the region by armed men for leaving their homes on Monday in “violation” of the “suspended” order.
PREMIUM TIMES last Monday reported on shootings in parts of Enugu and Anambra states by suspected IPOB members trying to force a return to the suspended sit-at-home order.
Business owners express fears
A commercial bus driver in Enugu, Joachim Nebo, fears a huge loss in the coming days due to the stay-at-home order.
Mr. Nebo told PREMIUM TIMES that he would definitely not earn enough money to pay his children’s school fees if residents are not allowed to go out for their daily business.
“This is the beginning of the term. My children have returned to school, but school fees have not been paid. At the end of this week now, the teachers will start hounding them to bring school fees. Where can we get it?” he said.
Ifeanyi Igwe, a businessman who sells agrochemicals in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, feels sad that his proposed trip to buy produce next week might not materialize.
He said he is sure to lose N130,000, at least, if residents are prevented from going about their business for that number of days.
Arinze Ajaezu, who sells computer accessories in the main market in Onitsha, Anambra state, said he risks losing a lot of money if the state remains closed for four days.
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“As a businessman, it will affect me very well,” he said.
In Aba, the commercial city of Abia state, Ifeanyi Chukwu, a businessman who sells cloth, said it may be hard for people to even feed their family if businesses are at a standstill in the state.
position of IPOB
IPOB spokeswoman Emma Powerful said on Saturday that the sit-at-home order in the region is only for Tuesday 18 January and that the other two days in which Mr. Kanu will appear in court are excluded so as not to “compose” the pains” of the people.
However, residents are likely to stay off the streets on Monday, and perhaps every other day, for fear of being attacked.
The turmoil over Biafra has led to several killings and destruction in the southeast.
Some of the leaders in the southeast have been putting pressure on of President Muhammadu Buhari administration release Mr. Kanu from detention to pave the way for talks that could end insecurity in the region. However, the president has said that he will not interfere in the judicial process.