BANKS ,MARKETS REMAIN SHUT IN ONITSHA OVER PRO BIAFRA PROTESTS,AS ORGANIZERS CALL FOR IGP'S RESIGNATION

Following the three-week long protests embarked upon by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, over continued incarceration of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu which led to the alleged killing of its members by members of Joint Military Task Force, markets, banks and schools in Onitsha and its environs remained closed, yesterday, in apparent solidarity with the protesters.
The Building Materials International Market at Ogidi, near Onitsha, New Auto Spare Parts market at Nkpor and other major markets remained closed, just as banks and schools remained under lock and key.
A detachment of stern-looking soldiers and mobile policemen were seen in their numbers standing on the roads and stopping all vehicles, a situation which led to a traffic gridlock from the former toll gate at Ogbunike to Bridge-head end of the Enugu/Awka/Onitsha express way.
Meanwhile, a coalition of civil society groups had called for immediate resignation of the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mr. Solomon Arase for his alleged shoot-at-sight order and roles in the Onitsha killings of protesting IPOB members.
In a press statement released, yesterday, and signed by Emeka Umeagbalasi, the coordinating principal of the coalition said it was equally important to inform that the Nigeria Police Force under Arase was already under the jurisdictional watch of the International Criminal Court as compilation and computation of cases of all police and military related extra judicial killings in the country were steadily in progress, adding, “for failing to heed our warning of 13th November 2015, we will be glad to ensure that IGP Arase and his named sub-commanders are handcuffed and flown to The Hague for the purpose of making them face international trial for crimes against humanity.”
According to the coalition: “We call on the IPOB and its teeming followers to remain peaceful, non- violent and law-abiding at all times, not minding the violence recently visited and unleashed on them.
“They must also watch their back and be extremely vigilant so as to ward off sustained efforts of some commissioned elements within the Federal Government, particularly its security establishments and stooges within the South East Governors Forum to implant elements of violence into their fold so as to destroy their globally -approved method of non- violence and peaceful means of agitation.
Still wallowing in the confusion that followed the killing of nine of its members, Wednesday, in Onitsha, the IPOB, also yesterday alleged that the All Progressives Congress, APC, was behind the crisis that led to shooting to death of nine people and injuring of over 18 people that sustained various degrees of injuries at the Niger Bridge Head Onitsha and other parts of Onitsha and its environs.
Spokesman of IPOB in Anambra State, Mr. Emma Powerful disclosed this while addressing newsmen in Onitsha, saying that it was a calculated plan by the APC government in the country which became unsettled with their peaceful and non- violent protests in South East, and had been looking for a way to provoke violence in their protests to justify the continued detention and incarceration of their leader, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu.