Similar to the earlier #EndBadGovernance protests held from August 1-10, the #FearlessOctober1 protest, scheduled for today in Umuahia, the capital of Abia State, has seen a complete lack of participation from residents.
The city remained calm, with no demonstrations or processions observed as people went about their daily routines. Shops and businesses operated normally, and traffic flowed freely without disruptions.
A trader along Uzuakoli Road, who preferred to remain anonymous, shared his perspective on the reluctance of locals to participate in the protests. He stated, “It’s not that we’re not feeling the hardship. But if we join the protest, it will be turned against us. Once they hear South East youths have joined, security operatives will turn their guns on us and start shooting. The next day, they’ll go house to house arresting our youths. So, we’re not interested. Let them carry on with their protest. We didn’t create this hardship. They said it was their turn to rule, so let them fix the crisis they created.”
This sentiment reflects a broader hesitance in the South East region, which largely ignored the nationwide protests in August as well. The fear of potential reprisals from security forces seems to have contributed significantly to the lack of participation in today’s events.