Miscreants in Aba reportedly hijacked the sit-at-home order proclaimed by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), in the area.
Sources said the order was largely obeyed by residents at Aba and was therefore total, while in Umuahia, the situation was partial and the town was quiet as there were skeletal movements of men and vehicles.
Though in Umuahia, no movement of security agents was observed and schools were closed except for those conducting NECO examination for students, in Aba, there were reported clashes where the shooting of a middle-aged man at Gas Line by Express was attributed to a security agent.
The Abia State Government had on Sunday night through an interview granted by the Commissioner for Information, John Okiyi Kalu, urged the citizens to ignore the order, disclosing that the state government had concluded plans with security agencies in the state to monitor the state and ensure peace.
However, even with this assurance, citizens stayed indoors out of fear.
A source in Aba said that the miscreants were not members of the IPOB, but those who wanted to take advantage of the situation to harass and rob people.
According to the source, “People refused to come out for business Few markets were open but people ignored them.
“The miscreants are not IPOB members but some overzealous criminals cashing in on the order to rob people.”
Meanwhile, the Coalition of South-East Youth Leaders (COSEYL) has condemned in strongest terms “the gruesome killing of an unarmed innocent youth at Gas Line by Expressway Aba by Nigerian soldiers”, and called for probe “in accordance with the law of the land.”
