Gunmen Enforcing Sit-at-Home Causes Mayhem in Ebonyi, Traders Flee Markets

Heavily gunmen dressed in red flowing regalia and patrolling in a Toyota Sienna vehicle on Tuesday stormed the Ishieke community in Ebonyi Local Government area of Ebonyi State shooting sporadically in their bid to enforce the seven-day sit-at-home imposed by a faction of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) led by Mazi Simon Ekpa.

The gunmen numbering about eight and brandishing guns were heard in a short video declaring that there would be no peace in the southeast until the detained IPOB supreme leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was released from federal custody. “Release Nnamdi Kanu! No Nnamdi Kanu, No Peace,” one of them was overheard saying in the short video which has since gone viral on social media.

“It is happening in Ebonyi, Ishieke market. You can see that Keke is burning. Destroy everything. Destroy all of them. As you can see, everywhere is burning,“ the unknown assailant behind the video was overheard saying.
The affected market was deserted as gunmen went from Store to Store causing uneasiness. The wave of this development affected the State capital as other markets within the metropolis did operate effectively.
Checks at the popular Kpirikpiri Market, some stores within the market were under lock and key as market women were seen discussing the matter in small groups.

One of the sellers in the market, (names withheld) lamented her painful ordeal “It wasn’t funny this morning as everybody was runny helter-skelter. Some shops are closed because of the attacks in the State.”

The Abakaliki metropolis seems to be experiencing unusual quietness as residents are seen making efforts to reach their homes on time.