Busy roads and areas in Abia, Enugu, Imo and Anambra were scanty on Monday despite the suspension of the weekly sit-at-home order of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB).
The seccessionist group demanding the actualization of defunct Biafra Republic had late last month declared that beginning from August 9th, 2021, every Monday of the week will be set aside for observance of sit-at-home.
The exercise, according to the group, is to pressurized the federal government to unconditionally release its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
Mr Kanu, who is facing charges of treasonable felony and fled the country in 2017 when soldiers of the Nigerian Army raided his Afaraukwu home in Umuahia, Abia State, was in June, intercepted and brought back to the country.
A federal high court in Abuja ordered he be remanded in the custody of the State Security Service (SSS) but the secret police failed to produce him in court on July 26 citing logistics problems with the judge adjourning to October 21 on the request of the prosecution.
Kicking against the continued detention of its leader, the group announced the directive from its ranks but suspended it on the orders of Mr Kanu after pockets of violence were recorded at the kick-off date.
Multimedia reports on social media showed that roads and shops in towns of most Southeastern states were scanty and under lock and keys.
Roads in Awka, Anambra’s seat of power; Aba, the commercial hub of Abia; Owerri, capital of Imo and Enugu, capital of coal city witnessed extremely low human and vehicular movements.
Popular markets in most of the places were also deserted while business premises at strategic locations of the states were locked up with banks and schools, according to the BBC, closed.
In Ebonyi State, the Africa Independent Television (AIT) is reporting that normal activities are in full gear at the ever-busy Vanco Junction, Water Works, Ogoja, Afikpo, Kpirikpiri Roads in the city center.