Sit-at-home: Gunmen burn motorcycle, tricycle in Nsukka

Ebiliekwe calls for dialogue to address insecurity in S’East:
Gunmen, suspected to be enforcing the sit-at-home order of proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), yesterday, burnt a motorcycle and a tricycle on Umakashi road, by Nsukka Building Material Market.

An eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), yesterday in Nsukka, that the incident happened about 6. 00 a.m, when some hooded gunmen stopped a motorcycle and a tricycle.

According to him, they beat up the passengers on the motorcycle and those in the tricycle before setting them ablaze.

The eyewitness said: “After setting the tricycle and motorcycle ablaze, they waited for about 10 minutes before they zoomed off, shooting in the air.” 

NAN gathered that many shops, business centres, motor parks, banks, markets, schools, both private and public, did not open yesterday, because the news of the incident had spread within Nsukka and environs.

When contacted, Mr. Charles lkema, the Acting Chairman of Nsukka Building Material Market, confirmed the incident.
 
Ikema said he rushed to the market and ordered its closure, following the early morning incident.

Meanwhile, the Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Daniel Ndukwe, said the command had not received official report of the incident.

IPOB had earlier cancelled yesterday’s sit-at-home in the South East, due to change of date for the court trial of its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, from May 26 to June 28 by the court.

IN another development, an elder statesman, Chief Ndubuisi Ebiliekwe, has called for a roundtable dialogue of all stakeholders, to solve the insecurity destabilising the South East and return enduring peace to the zone.

Ebiliekwe made the call while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu yesterday.

According to the elder statesman, socio-economic and infrastructure development cannot thrive in an atmosphere of rancour, crisis and insecurity.

He noted that only good governance, love, tolerance and dialogue could solve the insecurity, which has brought suffering, hunger and poverty in the zone.