Sit-At-Home: Enugu Barbers Operate Behind Closed Doors

Barbers’ shops in Enugu and its environs now operate with their doors locked on Mondays to avoid being molested by the faithful of the Indigenous People of Biafra.

The group had on August 9 declared sit-at-home across Southeast states in protest against the detention of its leader Nnamdi Kanu.

Although the hierarchy of the IPOB had lifted the order, business and office activities in Mondays have been paralysed since the order began.

Our correspondent reports that barbers at New Market, Agbani road, Abakpa and Trans-Ekulu do lock their shops while cutting hair of their customers. The entrance would only open when a customer is notified by strategically placed persons, who are mainly lads, that the shop is open.

One of them, who chose not to be mentioned, said, “It is difficult not to operate on Sundays and Mondays under this difficult time. I support the aspiration of IPOB members, but it should not be to the detriment of the same people they are fighting for.”

A customer, who identified himself as Patrick, said, “Most of the locked shops operate secretly. Most of them that have exit points from behind attend to core customers from there. This sit-at-home order has become an ill-wind. It is a pity that the federal government has little to lose.”

It was observed the affected barbers’ shops do switch off their electric bulbs outside.

Meanwhile, the university community of Nsukka today observed the sit-at-home order more than previous Mondays.

A Keke rider told THE WHISTLER that, “Before, we were not observing it like other areas. So, IPOB adherents began to threaten that they would storm Nsukka to show the residents that they are not above the order. It is because of that that our people began to observe it.”

Banks, filling stations, shops and markets were shut when our correspondent visited some usually boisterous areas.

There were also burnt tyres along Enugu road.