• Thursday, March 28, 2024
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BusinessDay

Kanu’s trial: Court, banks, schools closed in Ebonyi

Insecurity, poor policy implementation key challenges to Nigeria’s growth – ICSAN

Following the court trial of IPOB leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in Abuja on Thursday, Abakaliki, the Ebonyi state capital was deserted with government offices under lock and key.

The Indigenous People of Biafra(IPOB) had ordered a sit-at-home in the southeast over the arraignment, hence the reason for the development in the state.

No school – both private and public were opened as the schools were shut down. Also, no market opened in Ebonyi, including the popular International Market in the capital city located on Tran-Sharan-Highway did not open as the entrance and exit gates were padlocked.

Our correspondent who moved along the street observed that commercial banks in the capital city didn’t open for business. Shopping malls, eateries, were all closed.

Read also: Nnamdi Kanu back to DSS custody as court adjourns trial

All the major roads in Abakaliki including Water Works Road, Ogoja Road, Afikpo Road, Ogbaga Road, Old Enugu Road, Mile 50 among others were empty as there were no humans and vehicular movements.

Parks, relaxation centers in the capital city were all shut.

Government offices were almost empty as only a few workers came to work. The entrance and exit gates of the state high court were under lock and key.

All the filling stations in the state were also closed. But on Wednesday evening, there was panic buying at the stations with long queues as motorists and okada riders struggled to buy fuel at the filling station preparatory for the expected closure of the stations on Thursday as a result of Kanu’s arraignment.

However, security agents were seen in groups in their Hilux vans patrolling around the metropolis and outskirts of the town.