Imo Government Confirms Shutting Banks For Observing IPOB's Sit-At-Home Directive

The Imo State Government has revealed the motive behind its decision of shutting some banks in Owerri, the state capital on Tuesday.

It was reported that Governor Hope Uzodinma’s government ordered the closure of all the banks on Bank Road in Owerri, leaving hundreds of bank customers stranded on Wednesday.

The officials of the state government sealed banks like Access, Polaris, First Bank, Eco Bank, and United Bank for Africa as of 9am as hundreds of banks customers waited endlessly.

However, reacting to the incident, the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, told Punch that the state government sealed the banks because they frustrated customers on Monday by refusing to open for transactions.

Asked when the government would unseal the banks, Emelumba said it was left for Owerri Capital Development Authority (OCDA) and the banks to determine.

The OCDA General Manager, Innocent Ikpamezie, did not respond to multiple calls put across to his cell phones by our correspondent.

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) declared sit-at-home every Monday across the South East region which started on August 9 to demand the release of its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

The group, however, through its spokesperson, Emma Powerful suspended the exercise citing that Kanu wanted the directive only on the day he would appear in court, but the South-East residents and IPOB supporters continued to observe the directive.

While some people see it as fear of coming out, some quarters attribute it to loyalty and solidarity for the incarcerated secessionist leader, despite the political leaders saying the sit-at-home is paralyzing the economic strength of the region.