Tension as soldiers shut businesses of traders who ‘identified with Nnamdi Kanu’

There was tension in Orlu area of Imo State when some soldiers reportedly ordered traders to close shops for one week.

Our correspondent gathered that the anger of the security agents stemmed from the fact that the traders chose not to open their shops on Monday as a result of the arraignment of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, in Abuja.

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Kanu was not arraigned as the Department of State Services (DSS) failed to produce him in court.

One of the traders, who spoke to our correspondent on phone, said that the traders were mainly dealers on timber and building materials along Orlu – Owerri road.

He said, “We went to the shop this morning and discovered that soldiers on patrol along the Orlu-Owerri Road near the building materials and timber markets in Orlu were not allowing us to open our shops.

“They said we should go home for one week. When we asked them why, they said it’s for absenting from our shops yesterday (Monday).”

The killing of Omuma DPO and six men suspected to be members of IPOB is also generating tension in Owerri, the Imo state capital.

They were killed when suspected IPOB members regrouped on Monday to launch attack on Omuma in Oru East local government area of the state before they were repelled.

For most of Tuesday, heavily armed policemen were seen patrolling major streets in the metropolis and its environs.

The Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Mike Abattam, was not available for comments.