Mr. Simon Ekpa’s one-day sit-at-home order was disobeyed by Anambra residents.
Ekpa, a self-proclaimed Biafra agitator living in Finland, issued a one-week sit-at-home order to Anambra State residents.
Ekpa’s order for a one week sit-at-home in Anambra state is according to him a protest of what he described as the ongoing detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.
Ekpa designated Anambra residents to obseverve Monday a total lockdown, Tuesday a no-movement day, Wednesday a sit-at-home day, Thursday a market opening day, Friday a don’t come outside day, Saturday a ghost town day, and Sunday a stay-at-home day in the notice.
However, the city of Awka and neighboring towns in Anambra State were buzzing Tuesday as people went about their daily lives.
Chief Ifeanyi Ubah, the senator representing Anambra South, had issued a challenge to Ekpa over the weekend, telling him and his supporters to keep away from his senatorial zone, asserting that the senatorial zone had ended the sit-at-home with immediate effect.
However, after a meeting with his people in Nnewi, Ubah expressed hope that Kanu would be released soon.
He bemoaned the fact that Ekpa has been enforcing his sit-at-home order in Igbo land for many years, despite the enormous tragedy and hardship that has resulted from it.
Ubah said: “ Enough is enough. We have cooperated to obey the sit-at-home order all this while, but we have also found out that we are losing our economic base, jobs, and business opportunities.
“As the representative of the good people of Anambra South senatorial district, I deem it fit to say we will not continue to have the sit-at-home.
“ Henceforth, every business area in Nnewi shall be open for business. We have our men, we have our system. I know saboteurs will try to sabotage our efforts, but we have resolved to fight any aggressor that will come into this town.
”They say charity begins at home. He must observe the sit-at-home in Ebonyi State before starting to mention Anambra State or Nnewi. He has seen Anambra or Nnewi as a fertile place for his dubious enterprise. I’m telling you Simon Ekpa, be careful.”
“He is there in Finland contesting for councilorship or whatever, he goes to work on Mondays but he wants to ridicule us.
“He is there in Finland contesting for councilorship or whatever, he goes to work on Mondays but he wants to ridicule us.
“He wants my people to continue to suffer deprivation because he has communication gadgets to run his propaganda.
“If Ekpa and those working with him should mention sit-at-home again, they should come down to Nigeria to show the people where they have their industries and offices that were also closed and affected during every sit-at-home.”