By Ugochukwu Alaribe

Roads were yesterday, deserted and businesses shut in Aba, Abia State, over the threat by suspected bandits to storm the city over  noncompliance with the sit-at-home order.

The sit-at-home protest which has been cancelled by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, is no longer observed in Aba.

But in a video that went viral, the group accused the residents of the city of not observing the sit-at-home order which is held every Monday.

They promised to storm the city on an ‘evangelism outreach’, which would begin Monday, (yesterday).

Vanguard observed that the threat sent fear into the residents of the city as all the roads were deserted and business centres including markets, banks and schools did  not open for business.

Several teams of soldiers and police were seen patrolling the city centre and other areas like Ogbor Hill, Aba-Owerri Road, and Ngwa Road, amongst others. However, this failed to make the residents resume their businesses.

A cross-section of residents of the city who spoke to Vanguard   said they were afraid to open their businesses because of fear of attack from hoodlums.

“People are afraid to come out for their businesses because we are afraid of attacks from hoodlums. But we are appealing to those issuing these threats to think twice. People can’t afford to feed their families. Many families are already suffering. The sit-at-home and threats are causing more pain and fear among the same people they want to liberate,” the residents said.

It should be recalled that the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, said last month that the sit-at-home order in the South-East has ended.

According to him, the menace ended due to the heightened efforts of troops in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.

“We have equally heightened our efforts in containing criminalities perpetrated in the South East Region by the Indigenous People of Biafra and Eastern Security Network. Through Operation Udoka, our troops have, in collaboration with other relevant stakeholders, put an end to the infamous sit-at-home order that has almost crippled socio-economic activities in the Region,” Lagbaja said.

“Law-abiding citizens of the region now go about their businesses and everyday life. Similarly, our joint efforts with various government agencies have quelled attempts by criminals to disrupt economic activities in the South West region.”

Adding his voice, the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, also declared an end to all sit-at-home, including the Monday sit-at-home and any other day aimed at pressuring the Federal Government to release him from detention.

Kanu made the declaration in his handwritten letter, which he authorized his special counsel, Aloy Ejimakor to read.

He unequivocally stated that anyone henceforth engaging in sit-at-home is no longer his disciple.