.As Banks, Shops Shut Down
By Okey Alozie
Monday sit-at-home by IPOB is said to have recorded huge success in some part of Imo State.
Investigation revealed that apart from Banks, Shops and offices that did not open for business, workers at the State Secretariat, Owerri were said to have disregarded Government order and obeyed IPOB order as the State Secretariat was deserted.
Not up to 20 civil servants were physically seen at State Secretariat on Monday 3rd of July 2023.
Report has it that even the staff busses did not operate to carry workers to work. The Government drivers said they were afraid of bringing out the staff busses on the road to avoid destruction. Just few Commissioners reported to their Ministries and departed the State Secretariat before 1:30pm on that Monday.
Good number of Permanent Secretariat were said not to come to work on Monday out of fear. Many offices and State Secretariat were not opened for business at all.
Though few security agents were on patrol to protect lives and property but people were still afraid to carry out business activities in some parts of Imo State.
Our roving reporter observed that those in the rural areas of Imo State did not come out at all talkless of going to work.
All the schools were shut down as school children stayed indoors without coming out to do anything.
Market women as we observed, refused to sell food items, vehicles could not go for far distances due to fear of the unknown.
The return of sit-at-home started penultimate Monday. Record showed that a week ago, unidentified gunmen stormed Owerri metropolis and terrorized people. The Hoodlums threatened that anybody that refused to obey the sit-at-home order must have him or herself to blame.
Because of what happened the previous Monday, Imolites were afraid of coming again.
One of the Civil Servant who spoke to us in Owerri said he will not come to work on Mondays to avoid problem adding that life has not duplicate.
Banks said they will only reopen when the insecurity is over.
Governor Hope Uzodinma last year warned Imolites especially Civil Servants not to obey the order of bandits.
