Killing And Car Burning: New Way To Ensure Sit-at-home In Eastern Nigeria?

Every sit-at-home day in the South East comes with heightened tension and fear in the minds of citizens. The level of insecurity and violent activities within this region has left many disheartened.  While states in the South East have to live with the constant fear of the unknown Gunmen, another situation that grows fear in the heart and minds of people in the East is the violence associated with the Monday sit-at-home orders. 

As many try to abide by the sudden sit-at-home orders that have become a way of life in the East, car owners and drivers constantly fear losing their cars and experiencing death these days. 

So, the resolution has become ensuring to sit at home. While there are high compliance rates to the orders, once in a while, someone falls victim. And, at the core of it are car owners and drivers. 

Does The Failure To Comply With A Sit-at-Home Order Result In Destruction & Violence?

Sometime in September 2021, a bus driver whose identity remains unidentified was burnt alive at Oboma Nguru Mbaise. The incident happened on a sit-at-home day while the bus loaded with passengers came from Owerri. Passengers were asked to alight the bus before it was set on fire. Alongside the bus, a truck heading to Owerri was set ablaze by the armed task force at Ahiara junction, Mbaise. 

While the sit-at-home situation in Eastern Nigeria is gradually nearing a year, it’s been one rife with violence, damage, and loss of lives, of which most of them go undocumented.  On Monday, April 11th, the official sit-at-home day, another violent car burning and the killing situation took place in the East. This time, Enugu state was the scene.

Two persons and a Toyota Sienna bus were burnt in Enugu state by armed men identified as part of a task force for the sit-at-home exercise. 

The open fire ensued at the Holy Ghost Park Enugu at 8 am. The driver of the burnt Sienna bus escaped unhurt but, while narrating the incident, recounts that he was standing a few meters away from his bus while he waited for passengers to load into the vehicle. 

At first, he thought they were armed robbers, so he ran away. But, it turned out that the armed men that approached in a minibus were a sit-at-home task force. By the time he came out, the damage was already done, and his vehicle was in flames. 

Reportedly, two passengers at the park were hit by a stray bullet during the open fire at the park. 

This case of loss of lives and vehicles due to slight violation of sit-at-home orders, which is already crippling the social and economic situation in the East, continues to go unaddressed as there’s no one to hold accountable for the bloodshed and damages. 

Although, as Nigerians, people living in Eastern Nigeria have to worry about their lives and belongings, every Monday has become an extra day to carry more fear and worry in their hearts.