Posted by Thursday saw a halt to business as usual in Umuahia, the capital of Abia State, as the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) issued a sit-in order on May 30.
According to IPOB, the sit-in was held to pay tribute to the innocent lives lost during the Nigerian civil war.
Many businesses in the capital of Abia State stayed closed, and the few commercial transporters that were out and about reported little passenger patronage, so economic operations including banking, trading, transportation, and education all took a hit.
Uzuokoli Road, Isi Gate, and Aba Road were among the streets and roads that were abandoned due to the low number of shops that opened.
Aside from the street market along Umuwaya by Owerri Road, the famed Isi Gate Centre on Warri street by Umuwaya was noticeably deserted, with few vendors and drivers in sight.
There was an extremely low turnout of government employees, and some funerals had to be rescheduled.
It was also common to see security personnel stationed or patrolling city streets in an effort to keep the peace.
Around noon, there were reports of gunshots near the town’s Umudike crossroads, although the police have not confirmed the claims.
Several troops stationed at Ogbo Hill were reportedly slain by unidentified assailants, according to reports from Aba.
Neither the state administration nor the police have verified the assault on the servicemen as of the publication of this story.