Author: Gist Correspondent

Gunmen suspected to be enforcing a sit-at-home directive by Biafra separatists on Monday opened fire in parts of Anambra State, creating panic among residents who attempted to go about their normal activities in defiance of the order issued by Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo.

Reports indicated that the Nkpor area, near the commercial hub of Onitsha, was among the worst hit, with sustained gunshots heard in the early hours of the day.

“There were gunshots from around 4am this morning,” a resident of the area told News Express. “Some people are believed to have been shot, but there is no official confirmation yet,” the source added.

Several disturbing videos circulated on social media, including footage of a man reportedly shot in the face and another showing a Mitsubishi commercial bus riddled with bullets. In one of the videos, a man who claimed to be the owner of the damaged bus said he was attacked after choosing to reopen his shop in compliance with the governor’s directive.

“I decided to obey the governor and open my shop. Now see what has happened. Thank God that myself and my two boys escaped death,” he said in the Igbo language.

A visit by our correspondent to Onitsha revealed a tense atmosphere. Although some traders reopened their shops at the Onitsha Main Market, which had just been reopened after a week-long closure ordered by the state government, commercial activities were minimal as roads remained largely deserted and customers stayed away. In some markets, traders were seen passing time by playing football amid the uncertainty.

The situation was further complicated by conflicting statements within the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). While a statement attributed to IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful insisted that the sit-at-home would be observed across the South-East in defiance of Soludo’s order, IPOB’s lawyer, Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, dismissed the directive as fake and urged residents to ignore it.

Subsequently, IPOB’s Directorate of State (DOS) issued a statement disowning the sit-at-home order, describing it as unauthorised, and announcing the abolition of the use of the name “Emma Powerful,” which it said was merely a pseudonym.

However, Emma Powerful countered the DOS position, insisting that only IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, currently in detention, has the authority to make such decisions, thereby deepening the confusion surrounding the exercise.

The gunfire and uncertainty once again underscored the fragile security situation in parts of Anambra State, as residents continue to bear the brunt of enforcement actions linked to sit-at-home directives.