Roads were today deserted and businesses shut in Aba, Abia State, over the threat by suspected bandits to storm the city over noncompliance with the sit at home order.

The sit-at-home protest which has been cancelled by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, is no longer observed in Aba.

In a video which went viral, the group accused the residents of the city of not observing the sit-at-home order which holds every Monday.

They promised to storm the city on an ‘evangelism outreach’, which would begin today,(Monday).

Vanguard observed that the threat sent fear into the residents of the city as all the roads were deserted and business centres including markets and banks and schools did not open for business.

Several teams of soldiers and police were seen patrolling the city centre and other areas like Ogbor Hill, Aba-Owerri road, Ngwa road, amongst others. However, this failed to make the residents resume their businesses.

A cross section of residents of the city who spoke to Vanguard said they were afraid to open their businesses because of fear of attack from hoodlums.

“People are afraid to come out for their businesses because we are afraid of attacks from hoodlums. But we are appealing to those issuing these threats to think twice. People can’t afford to feed their families. Many families are already suffering. The sit at home and threats are causing more pain and fear among the same people they want to liberate,” the residents said. (Vanguard)