Imo private school owners lament as IPOB’s sit-at-home order disrupts resumption

BY MARTIN NWOKO

Private schools owners in Imo state have lamented the disruption of their planned resumption over the sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Both public and private schools in the state were earlier scheduled to resume for the 2021/2022 academic session on Monday.

But the schools were forced to shelve their scheduled resumption over fear of attacks from the proscribed separatist group.

IPOB had on July 30 ordered a sit-at-home in the south-east every Monday until Nnamdi Kanu, its leader, is released from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).

The proscribed group said the lockdown tagged ‘Ghost Monday’ will also affect schools and marketplaces.

In a new twist, the separatist group had also announced that it would enforce a sit-at-home on Tuesday in the south-east to remember the victims of the military attack on Nnamdi Kanu’s residence in 2017.

It is understood that some schools have shifted their planned resumption to Wednesday to ensure safety of their pupils while others are expected to open next week.

Checks by TheCable Lifestyle across some of the private schools in the state on Monday showed their premises were locked.

Chima Ibejiakor, a proprietor of one of the private schools in Owerri, the state capital, described the situation as very unfortunate.

Ibejiakor said the development is am indication that government can no longer guarantee security of lives and properties of citizens.

“We can not risk asking our students to resume school today despite the cancelation of sit at home order issued by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB),” he said.

“You also know that tomorrow is another sit at home order by the group so we decided to shift our resumption day to Wednesday in order not to put the lives of our pupils and staff at risk.”

Some south-east governors have consistently condemned the sit-at-home order by IPOB and called on residents to disregard the directive.