***As residents call on Tinubu’s Govt to end sit-at-home
By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
The sufferings being experienced by the people of the South East geopolitical zone due to the incessant lock down in the region by the outlawed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) is not abating soon as poor residents have called on President Bola Tinubu’s government to end sit-at-home conundrum.
Prompt News can confirm that the rumour of a three-day lockdown declared by IPOB from Monday, July 3 to Wednesday 5 has become real as economic activities across Imo, Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu and Anambra states are at standstill at the moment.
For example, the ever-busy motor parks across the states which used to be a beehive of activities have become ghost towns as many people have stayed away for fear of the unknown.
Also, many transporters have refused to put their vehicles on the road for fear of attack especially those that are operated by state governments just as private cars are not willing to enter the roads.
For this reason many passengers who transverse the entire five South East states are stranded at various departure points waiting for further information.
In Owerri, the Imo state capital, the state-owned Imo Transport Company (ITC) did not operate most of its inter-states routes as most of the drivers refused to risk their lives to convey passengers to their destinations.
At various independent parks along Egbu road in Owerri municipality where the likes of ABC Transport, GUO Motors, God Is Good, Ifesinachi Transport, etc did not operate while others operated skeletal services.
The story is the same at Upper Iweka and Head Bridge motor parks in Onitsha, Anambra state and in Enugu, Ngwo park and Gariki park witnessed low turnout of passengers.
Meanwhile, most of the stranded passengers have called on President Tinubu to come to their rescue by looking into the root causes of the South East agitation which has led to the grounding of economic activities of the region by the outlawed IPOB.
Chief Anthony Iwuegbu of Obibiezina, Owerri pleaded with the federal government under Tinubu to look into the grievances of the IPOB especially the release of their leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to liberated the South East from economic and security bondage.
Said he: “My heart breaks each time I remember what damage the incessant lock down is causing the people of the South East region. I will appeal to the President to come to the help of the common people of the South East who have been made poorer by the heavy economic hardship inflicted on them by these sit-at-home conundrum”.
Also, Mazi Ndukwe Akaeze who hails from Ebonyi state has asked the President to quickly commence the process of reconciliation in Nigeria starting with the release of Nnamdi Kanu, pointing out that the insecurity in the South East will end with the release of the IPOB leader.
