Despite Heavy Security, Enugu Streets Empty in Sit-at-Home, Students Trek to Write WAEC

Gideon Arinze in Enugu

There was heavy security presence in Enugu State yesterday, following a sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
But major streets and businesses within the Enugu Metropolis were shut down as residents stayed indoors for fear of being attacked by the criminals.
IPOB had earlier this month announced a sit-at-home across the South-east to mark the Biafra Day, which is celebrated annually.

In a statement, spokesperson of the group, Emma Powerful, said the celebration was intended to remember IPOB members, who died in “the fight for freedom.”
The mssage read: “To this effect, IPOB directs all schools, government, offices, private offices, banks, transport unions, market unions and private individuals to shut down all operations in honour of our heroes and heroines on Thursday, May 30, 2024,” exempting only health workers from the illegal order.

However, with the absence of vehicular movements, students were seen in the Independent Layout and Abakpa areas of the state, trekking to their schools for the General Mathematics (Theory and Objectives) examinations scheduled for yesterday by the West African Examination Council (WAEC).

The IPOB had directed the WAEC to postpone the examinations. But the Enugu State Government, in a statement on Wednesday, said the consequences of candidates of the state and the entire South East region not sitting for their General Mathematics papers were massive and held nothing but gloom for the future, contrary to what their forebears fought for.

Commissioner for Information and Communication, Aka Eze Aka, who issued the statement, urged candidates and those involved in the conduct of the examination and other enterprises to go about their legitimate businesses, as the state had taken steps to ensure adequate security of lives and property.
He nted that IPOB’s statement that ‘WAEC board should not endanger the lives of small children because that day was not safe for any individual in Biafra territory was particularly worrying.