Owerri, the Imo State capital, was a ghost town on Thursday as residents stayed away from work, choose to stay at home and shun the planned nationwide protest against economic hardship.
The usually bustling streets were deserted, with banks, markets, offices, shops, and other business outlets shut down.
Our correspondent, who monitored the situation, reported that popular roads like Douglas Road, Okigwe Road, Item Street, Orlu Road, Ikenegbu, Egbu, and Aba Road were empty and devoid of human and vehicular movements.
Businessmen who stayed away from their premises cited security concerns, recalling the Wednesday morning shootings in several parts of Owerri that brought economic activities to a standstill.
Despite the assurance from the State Police command that it has the capacity to protect lives and properties in the State, residents remained cautious, choosing to stay away from work and business activities.
The shutdown had a significant impact on the local economy, with many businesses losing revenue.
The protest, which however took place in some states, such as Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Niger, etc highlighted the growing discontent among Nigerians over economic hardship and insecurity in the country.
