Shops, Markets Shut In Akure As Igbo Traders Join Agitation Kanu’s Release
Commercial activities were paralysed on Monday in parts of Akure, the Ondo State capital, as Igbo traders joined the ongoing nationwide protest demanding the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
The protest championed by activist Omoyele Sowore witnessed the closure of major shops and markets owned by Igbo traders in solidarity with the call for Kanu’s freedom under the banner #ReleaseNnamdiKanuNow.
Shops and business outlets, including automobile spare parts dealers, supermarkets, electronics stores, and food marts, were locked up throughout the day, leaving several commercial corridors of the city unusually quiet.
Areas such as Oba Adesida Road, Arakale, NEPA Junction, Old Garage, and Oyemekun Road, which normally bustle with commercial activity were virtually deserted as traders stayed away from business in what many described as a show of solidarity.
Residents who spoke with Journalists described the action as a clear indication of unity among the Igbo community in Akure and a peaceful expression of their demand for justice.
According to Mr. Vincent Chukwu, a spare parts dealer, “The Igbos here in Akure have always joined in any peaceful or civil action calling for the release of Nnamdi Kanu. It’s our way of showing concern and demanding justice for one of our own.”
Another resident, Sunday Nwoke, expressed mixed feelings about the development. While acknowledging the peaceful nature of the protest, he noted its adverse impact on daily business transactions.
“Many of us couldn’t get spare parts or basic household items because most of the shops were closed,” he lamented.
Meanwhile, security operatives, including personnel of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), were strategically deployed across the Akure metropolis to forestall any breakdown of law and order.
Taiwo Akinyemi is a budding writer and journalist with a dedicated passion for unearthing stories that arouse public interest and advocate good governance in the society. She reports stories within Ondo State and Nigeria’s South West Region.
