Two persons were Monday allegedly killed in Nnewi, Anambra State, over the sit-at-home order issued by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Police authorities confirmed that there was an incident in the industrial city on Monday morning, which led to fatalities, but denied knowledge of who were responsible.
ANN gathered that two persons died during a bloody confrontation that happened at Izuchukwu junction area in Nnewi. An eyewitness said the victims were a member of Eastern Security Network (ESN) and a commercial motorcyclist.
The source claimed that problem started at about 7.00am in the morning when some IPOB members came out to enforce the sit-at-home order and in the process blocked the major roads in the industrial town.
“Some unidentified soldiers came in to clear the items used to block the roads leading to an altercation between them and the IPOB members.
“That was how the two victims were actually killed by gun shots by the unknown soldiers.
“The industrial town of Nnewi has been reduced to a ghost town as the people who initially came out for their daily business had to rush back home.
“Some vehicles were also smashed by aggrieved persons over the attack on the civilians by armed soldiers,” he said.
The spokesperson of Anambra State Police command, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga, who spoke to Newsmen said: “Yes, I’m aware of the incident in Nnewi today, but I do not have the details. We are still collating details, and I will inform you later.”
Ikenga was unable to tell our correspondent if the security operatives were soldiers or police officers. He said,” we are still investigating.”
Meanwhile, major and minor cities in Anambra State, including Awka, Onitsha, Nnewi, Ekwulobia and others were Monday totally shutdown, in compliance with the directive of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The group had called for a shutdown of businesses in the South East states, every Monday until its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is in the custody of the Directorate of State Services (DSS) and standing trial was released.
There had been confusion whether the sit-at-home would hold or not. This was because of a counter directive by a brother to Kanu, who had said the exercise had been called off to allow students sitting for the NECO examination to do so. Spokesperson of the group, Emma Powerful quickly refuted the claim, saying the order was sacrosanct.
Monday’s sit-at-home registered heavy compliance in Anambra, with banks, schools, markets, shops, eateries and other businesses deserted.
Angel Network News correspondent who moved round to monitor the level of compliance found that even though markets were opened, traders refused to resume for business.
Anambra State government had earlier threatened to withhold August salaries of workers who failed to resume for duties on Monday.
At the state secretariat complex, it was also observed that most workers came to work because of the order, but they left almost immediately, after signing the attendance register.
Motor parks were also deserted as motorists and passengers alike stayed away from them, leaving streets deserted.
Angel Network News reports that police patrol vehicles were on every major street, providing protection for the few people that were courageous enough to come out.
A market leader at Eke Awka market who did not disclose his name said: “The leadership of the market did its best by opening the market, but traders refused to come.
“You can see that some of the traders opened, but there are no customers. I think it is rather out of fear that people did not come to the market, and not because they want to comply with IPOB directive,” he said. In Imo State, ANN gathered that two commuter bus heading from lagos to imo state was also intercepted by Gunmen men and burnt the buses. A source said two persons were burnt in the Bus. The sit at home warning of IPOB was fully complied by residents in fear of being killed.
The many question that arise who is in-charge of South eastern state, the Governors or the IPOB.
