Sit-At-Home: Gunmen Bomb Market, Burn Vehicles In Imo

Gunmen, Monday, bombed the popular Izombe market in the Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State, South, Eastern Nigeria.
The gunmen were said to be members of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) enforcing the suspended sit-at-home order.
They were said to have stormed the market earlier to warn traders not to violate the order by opening Monday, according to a report by The Sun newspaper.
But the merchants defied the warning and opened the market for business, prompting the armed men to attack them.
The armed men set fire to two vehicles in the market before shelling the place, the newspaper reported.
Frightened merchants ran for safety during the attack.
Some of the shopkeepers suffered injuries in the incident.
“They came and threw a local bomb inside the market and everyone started running for safety. They (also) poured fuel into two vehicles and they all caught fire,” said a witness quoted by the newspaper.
IPOB, an outlawed group leading agitation for the creation of an independent Biafra state of south-east and some parts of south-south Nigeria, had suspended its Mondays sit-at-home order in preference for the order to be implemented only on days when their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, appears in court.
Despite its suspension, residents of the five southeastern states (Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo, Abia and Anambra) have been observing Monday’s stay-at-home order, mainly out of fear.
Some residents and motorists, including commuters, have recently been attacked in the region by armed men for leaving their homes on Monday and other declared stay-at-home days.
There has been growing insecurity in the southeast, with frequent attacks by armed individuals.
IPOB has been accused of being responsible for the deadly attacks, but the secessionist group has repeatedly denied involvement in the attacks.
The leader of the outlawed group, Nnamdi Kanu, is facing trial for terrorism.