Transport operators have urged federal and South East state governments to deploy stronger and more coordinated security measures before fully resuming operations in the region on Mondays, following the cancellation of the long-standing sit-at-home order.
In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, the transporters said improved road security is critical to restoring confidence among operators and passengers travelling to and from the South East.
Their comments followed a recent directive by Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), announcing the total cancellation of the Monday sit-at-home across the region. The order, which began in August 2021 in protest against Kanu’s detention, had significantly disrupted economic and social activities.
Transporters noted that the sit-at-home had severely affected interstate travel between the South East and major cities such as Lagos and Abuja. Many passengers avoided Monday journeys over safety concerns, leading to low patronage, frequent trip cancellations, revenue losses, and, in some cases, attacks on vehicles.
Drivers also reported facing roadblocks, intimidation, and uncertainty upon arrival, as markets, motor parks, and businesses were often shut. The prolonged disruption raised transport fares, strained logistics operations, and created hardship for traders, students, and other travellers who depended on Monday travel.
Reacting to the cancellation, Kanayo Frankly, Branch Manager of ABC Transport, Utako, Abuja, described the development as positive but cautioned that it must be backed by concrete action. He stressed that without deliberate government intervention, transporters may still be reluctant to operate.
Frankly called for advanced and coordinated security architecture across the South East, arguing that visible protection would reassure transport operators and passengers alike. According to him, effective collaboration among security agencies would reduce criminal activities, allow markets and schools to function fully, and ultimately help restore normalcy to transportation and economic life in the region.
