There was tension in schools and markets in Aba, Abia State, Monday, following the alleged invasion by suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.
Vanguard had reported that businesses have been defying the Monday sit-at-home order and opening their doors to customers.ADVERTISING
At about 10am, suspected members of the group who were said to be enforcing the sit-at-home order had stormed some schools in Ogbor Hill.
Some roadside traders who had defied the sit-at-home and opened for business hurriedly parked their wares and fled.
The situation caused tension as students fled their classrooms. Parents were observed racing to their children’s schools looking for them.
When Vanguard visited the schools, most of them who had opened for the day’s academic activities had their gates shut.
A teacher at one of the mission schools in Aba who declined to have her name on print said they sent the students away and shut their gates at about 10am because they got information that suspected members of the IPOB were going round the town searching for schools who defied the sit home order.
She said; “We shut our gates because we didn’t want to risk our lives and that of the students. As early as 9am, news got here that some IPOB members were going to schools searching for those who defied the sit-at-home order. Some parents even came here looking for their children. We are calling on the government to provide security for the schools to avoid untoward incidents in schools.”
However, motor parks and banks, markets and other business centres were shut as most of the operators stated that they could not open for the day’s business because of fear of attack by hoodlums.