Enugu Begins to Recover from Two-Year Sit-at-Home Lockdown
After over two years of a total lockdown on Mondays due to the compulsory Monday sit-at-home protest declared by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in 2021, Enugu State is gradually roaring back to life. The sit-at-home protest was initially intended as peaceful civil disobedience but evolved into enforced mayhem by gunmen, causing significant damage to the region’s economy and reputation.
Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, took decisive action and banned the sit-at-home protest two days after his inauguration on June 1. He emphasized the need to transition from a public service economy to a private sector-driven one and emphasized that Enugu State loses N10 billion every Monday due to the sit-at-home. The governor actively monitors compliance and urges businesses and institutions to open on Mondays.
Despite some resistance and fear, businesses and schools in Enugu are gradually reopening on Mondays, and public confidence is being restored. The government remains committed to ending the sit-at-home and addressing the security challenges posed by criminals using the pretext of Biafra and Nnamdi Kanu’s release demands.
While many welcome the lifting of the sit-at-home, some still prioritize Nnamdi Kanu’s release. Governor Mbah reassures that the government is open to dialogue with groups with genuine grievances and will crackdown on criminals using Biafra and Kanu’s cause to perpetrate violence.
The ongoing efforts by the Enugu State government have begun to bear fruit, and the city is slowly returning to normalcy. However, authorities remain vigilant to sustain the progress and fully restore economic activities on Mondays.
