The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr. Obi Aguocha, has warned Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, against attempts to end the Monday sit-at-home directive, cautioning that this action might worsen insecurity throughout the South-East.
Aguocha, representing the Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency of Abia State, stated that the attempts by him and other stakeholders to stabilize the region were slowly producing results prior to what he referred to as the recent intervention by Gov. Soludo.
“Gov. Soludo, unfortunately, has unleashed terror on an army of silent agitators who, for so long, had helped to abate the significance of the Monday sit-at-home rituals,” Aguocha said.
“Over the last three years, many markets, plazas, and shopping centers across the Southeast have gradually returned to normalcy, operating freely and unencumbered. I have worked tirelessly in this direction, and peace was steadily returning to our rural and commercial trading centers in Southeast centers.
He opined that while the governor’s intention to end the sit-at-home might be well-meaning, the method adopted was counterproductive.
“The governor’s effort has been executed in the most unconstructive and unacceptable manner. These misguided ordinances and actions have reignited embers of fear, hardened resistance centers, and resurrected old resentments, which, if left unchecked, could plunge the region into renewed violence, serious crimes, and widespread criminality,” he said.
Aguocha stressed that a state government has no legal authority to compel private business owners to open or close their shops.
“Gov. Soludo cannot force or punish private business owners to close or open their shops or to trade or refrain from trading,” he said.
He queried whether similar punitive measures would be applied to those who close their businesses early on Wednesdays to attend midweek religious services.
“Such decisions fall squarely within the ambit of their fundamental rights and are not governed by any state, labor shops, labor, or market-union relationship,” he added.
Speaking on the broader security crisis, the lawmaker said the failure of the Federal Government to address core grievances in the region remained a major driver of unrest.
“Until the Nigerian state genuinely and sincerely addresses the unjust detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the bias in the administration of criminal justice, the marginalization of labor, the entrenched hostility against the Igbo people, and the root causes of youth agitation, we must brace ourselves for a vicious cycle of resentment,” he warned.
Aguocha also warned against attempts to coerce political support from the region, saying such tactics would fail.
“If nothing urgent is done, no one should expect votes from the region on the basis of being coerced, manipulated, marginalized, or compelled. Our votes will count, and we will defend them, even at the cost of our lives,” he said.
He remarked that as a representative in the House, it was his responsibility to seek the optimal route to freedom and justice, vowing to fulfill that duty with determination and insight, inspired by the aspirations and prayers of those he served.
The sit-at-home directive on Mondays in the South-East started in 2021 after the capture and extradition of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu.
Originally seen as a demonstration calling for his freedom, the order slowly transitioned into a mechanism of control through intimidation, threats, and violent assaults by armed factions, resulting in the extensive shutdown of shops, educational institutions, and markets each Monday.
Even after IPOB declared the halt of the sit-at-home order, adherence persisted in various regions because of insecurity and ongoing fear.
Subsequent state administrations have faced challenges in resuming normal economic operations, as enforcement actions frequently lead to renewed tension and opposition from the local population.
