Biafra Day: Umuahia shuts down as residents observe sit-at-home

By Steve Oko

UMUAHIA — An unusual calm descended on Umuahia, the Abia State capital, on Saturday as residents largely stayed indoors in observance of Biafra Day, a remembrance event held in honour of those who lost their lives during the Nigerian Civil War.

The usually busy city wore a deserted look, with major roads, markets and commercial centres recording minimal activity throughout the day.

Most shops remained closed, while business and transport activities were significantly reduced across the capital city.

From the city centre to the outskirts, traffic was sparse, with only a few vehicles and commercial tricycles seen on the roads.

In some areas, youths took advantage of the empty streets to play football, turning sections of deserted roads into makeshift pitches.

The normally busy Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway, which passes through Umuahia and serves as a major transportation route, also recorded light traffic for most of the day.

Although a few residents were seen moving around, the city was far quieter than its usual weekend atmosphere.

There were no reports of violence, disturbances or security breaches as of the time of filing this report. The situation remained peaceful, with residents complying with the sit-at-home observance.

The exercise followed a call by the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), which urged people across the South-East to remain indoors and offer prayers in memory of those who died during the civil war.

Similarly, the Igbo Women Assembly (IWA) used the occasion to call for justice for victims of the conflict and urged authorities to respect the rights of citizens to commemorate their dead.

The level of compliance recorded in Umuahia reflected the continued historical and emotional significance the civil war period holds for many residents, more than five decades after the conflict ended.

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