Emmanuel Ifeanyi 
The day one of the nationwide protest against hunger and hardship tagged “#endbadgovernanceinnigeria protest” recorded zero compliance in Aba, Abia State.
New Telegraph reports that the signs that the national protest will not be held in Aba were obvious some days before the start of the protest, as many residents expressed no interest in the plan.
Unlike other cities where designated places were mapped out as gathering centres, there was none in Aba, no group stood out as organizers unlike what was available elsewhere.
As people were carrying placards with inscriptions, including “End bad governance” in most parts of the country, making demands, and chanting solidarity songs, Aba residents sat at home while youths converted roads like Ngwa Road to emergency football fields.
New Telegraph monitored the situation in the city from Osisoma-Junction, MCC-Junction, Brass-Junction, Eziukwu-Junction, Bata-Junction, Number-One Junction, Emelogu-Junction, Opobo-Junction, Ehere-Junction, Obikabia-Junction down to Aba Waterside and reports that no protest took place, as major roads were empty.
Our correspondent also reports that major markets like Ariaria International Market, Cemetery Market, Ahia-Ohuru, Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Ehere Market, Alaoji Spare Parts Market, GSM/ Computer Village, St Michael’s Phone/Accessories Market and Uratta Integrated Market were all closed.
Some residents who spoke to New Telegraph said that they would have loved to join the protest, but could not do so following the bad experience of the October 2020, EndSARS protest that almost crumbled Aba.
Some residents also said that the current security situation in the city which has recently seen police and soldiers attacked and killed in different locations made the protest a difficult one in Aba, as it could create an ugly situation that no one anticipated.
Mr Gerrard Akunna, a resident of Emelogu Road said that he would have loved to come out in the streets, but because of the security situation and how security agencies treat protesters in the South East, he prefers to sit at home.
“We’re not immune to the hunger and poverty all over the country. But it’ll be stupid for one to go out to protest against hunger and poverty and end up dead.
“I would have loved to join what’s happening in Lagos and Abuja it’s very important to all of us, but you have seen what is happening in Aba and the entire South East. So, we don’t need to be told that we must be careful.”
Another resident, Okereke Uzochukwu said that the timing of the protest may be suitable for people in other places but with the recent security challenges in Aba, it will degenerate into something uncontrollable.
“We’ve seen and heard the calls from different political and traditional leaders, our resolve to stay at home today should be seen as wisdom and not cowardice. What we did today shows that we’ve become wiser and smarter.
“No need to die recklessly. You’ll hardly hear of killings in this protest today from Lagos to Abuja, but any move here will end badly. So, I like what our people did today.
“It’s not that we love the current government and what they’re doing, but we want to remain alive because nobody obeys any law in this country including fundamental human rights.
“Since 2017, we’ve seen blood flow in peaceful protests here and we’re simply tired of that. No protest is sweeter than sitting in your house and allowing commercial, business and even government activities to obey the law of nature and stop operation.”
New Telegraph reports that there was a strong presence of security agencies in some major locations in the city, as some soldiers were seen within the Constitution Crescent where major government offices in Aba South Local Government are located.
