Onitsha and Nnewi in Anambra State recorded partial vehicular and human movement contrary to previous Monday’s sit-at-home exercises.

There was a noticeable presence of residents as early as 7.30 am as people defied the odds and marched out to the major roads and streets with many tricycles also plying to and from Onitsha.

Few commercial buses that ply inter-states operated, especially at the Onitsha/Owerri road, Enugu/Onitsha road, Onitsha/Asaba/Benin/Lagos expressway, among others.

Some primary and secondary schools as well as a handful of private schools were in session as early as 9 am.

Most schools, markets, banks, courts and offices, among others however remained shut.

Some residents, who spoke to The Nation, expressed joy at the development, attributing it to new strategies deployed by the Chukwuma Soludo-led administration.

A civil servant, who pleaded anonymity, said it was regrettable the manner in which hoodlums held the state hostage for months.

They said the phone numbers he dished out to residents have assisted tremendously as well as other security steps not disclosed to the public.

He said: “The good must win the bad, it is a question of time. Igbo have suffered a lot and whoever wants to add more pain to their sufferings must not go unpunished.

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“What the criminals want is to hold us, hostage, every Monday. The IPOB that originated the Monday sit-at-home, has since suspended it because it is an ill wind that blows nobody good.

“We commend Mr. Governor for going after those who want to perpetuate the sit,-at-home for their own selfish interest. He had repeatedly assured that they (criminals) are being picked on daily basis.

“You can see now that there is partial vehicular and human movement. That shows that Governor Soludo is out to fight those enforcing a non-existent Monday sit-at-home and we thank him for that.

“Some people get their daily bread when the markets are in session. That means if you want them to go hungry you shut the markets. We are all suffering because we have not joined hands to fight these criminals.

“The thing is that criminals masquerading as IPOB members want to take over Southeast. So the yardstick being put in place now to checkmate them by Governor Charles Chukwuma Sudo is a welcome development.”

A trader at Ochanja market, Regina Uche, said: “The problem we have in the Southeast is not IPOB but hoodlums who under the guise of IPOB, try to enforce a non-existent sit-at-home.

“How can few criminals hold the entire Southeast people hostage. Are they spirits? If they are invisible, they are being picked now.

“Governor Chukwuma Soludo is gradually winning the war. The way he is going about it now, in the next one month normalcy will be restored. We are happy with him.

For Okechukwu Uzodinma, a panel beater at Nkwo Nnewi triangle axis, “There was skeletal movement of people and vehicles unlike what we experience previously when roads were always empty.

“Today Keke operators are on the road and people are also walking freely. I believe Governor Soludo is doing something against the criminals.”