Owerri, the Imo State capital, was a shadow of itself on Monday as residents continued to stay indoors in compliance with the sit-at-home order of the Indigenous People of Biafra in the five South-East states of Nigeria.
This has continued two months after the separatist group, IPOB, said it had cancelled its weekly sit-at-home order in protest against the detention of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, by the Federal Government.
On Monday in Owerri, banks, schools, markets and offices were under lock and key.
Our correspondent who monitored the development, saw youths playing football at Ikenegbu, a place known for huge economic activities.
Students of Imo State University refused to attend lecturers as parents and guardians kept their children and wards at home.
Apart from pharmacy shops, all the stalls on Mbari, Okigwe Road, Imo State University junction, Control Post Roundabout, Akwakuma, Amakaohia and Wethedral roads, were locked.
A few persons who came out were seen trekking as commercial vehicles stayed away from the roads.
Our correspondent saw security operatives mounting a roadblock at the Orji flyover on Owerri- Okigwe Road, as other security agents patrolled the town.
A newspaper vendor, simply known as Onyebuchi, told our correspondent that he was not making sales as many of his customers did not come out.
He said, “I have not been making sales since morning. No sales at all. I just came out because it is better to be here than to be at home doing nothing.”
