Residents of Enugu and civil society organisations have protested the weekly sit-at-home“ order by the Simon Ekpa faction of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The protesters, who converged on the popular Michael Okpara Square as early as 8:00 a.m., moved through the Presidential Road, Ogui Road, Ogbete Main Market, Okpara Avenue, Garden Avenue, New Haven, Bisala Road and back to Okpara Square.
They carried banners and placards with inscriptions saying, ”Enough Is Enough,” “Say No To Sit-At-Home in Enugu,” “Allow The Poor to Breathe,” “Our Mumu Don Do,” “Enugu People Must Be Freed from The Shackles of Those Who Want to Hold Them Down,” among others.
Onyinye Mammah, the executive director of the Heroine Women Foundation, said they decided to take the bold initiative following the devastating economic effects of the Monday sit-at-home order.
“How can you continue to do something that has not benefitted you since it was started? We pay school fees, and our children don’t go to school and businesses are shut on Mondays. A few people have decided to create anarchy, take the law into their own hands and make life uncomfortable for others,” Ms Mammah explained.
She added, “We cannot continue this way, and that is why we think there is a need to support Governor Peter Mbah in his effort to end the Monday sit-at-home order.”
A protester, Arthur Edeh, described the order as cancer.
“People should feel free to go about their businesses. The security network in Enugu is massive, and nobody should threaten you with illegal sit-at-home order,” he stated.
A representative of the Nsukka council area, Emeka Nwangwu, said they participated in the protest because they were tired of sitting at home on Mondays.
I came from Nsukka to support our governor to end this menace, and I am here also to inform our people that Nsukka is free from Monday’s sit-at-home directive. Opi, Nsukka, and Ugwuogo Nike Road are free for movement, and people are free to travel anytime without threat and attack,” said Mr Nwangwu.
He advised, “I advise our people to come out en masse to support our governor as we are losing a lot from sitting at home.“