IT has been revealed that one of the reasons for the continued sustenance of the weekly Monday sit -at- home in parts of the South East are letters allegedly written to heads of market unions and transport operators with threats of grievous consequences if they disobeyed the order.

Some communities in Anambra State also confirmed that they receive such letters, although they did not know the authors.

Similarly, a driver in one of the transport companies operating the Awka – Onitsha route said but for the anonymous letters they receive every weekend preceding Mondays, they would have been doing their business as usual.

It was gathered yesterday that most market leaders in the over 60 major markets receive such letters, which explains why they do no open the gates of their markets on Mondays.

However, many traders ignored the letters by opening their markets yesterday, arguing that the weekly sit-at-home is adversely affecting them and their families.

For instance, the Eke Market was busy yesterday despite a letter said to have been forwarded to the market leaders on Sunday reminding them of yesterday’s sit-at-home.

A trader in the market said most of the people in his line decided to open their shops because the sit-at-home was no longer making any meaning to them.

He said: “We stay at home every Monday because of the threat. The surprising thing is that  we see the unsigned letters and assume that they came from IPOB leadership.

“Now we are beginning to suspect that some people just write the letters to stop us from doing our businesses and we can no longer take it.

“If you notice, commercial activities have been increasing with time and we are determined to say no to those who want to undermine business in the state”.

One of the government drivers conveying workers from Onitsha to Awka also narrated how a letter was sent to him, warning him to stop, otherwise he would be dealt with.

He said that it was because of the threat letters that made many workers to stop coming out at the bus stops on Mondays to go to work.

Following the development, many establishments, including those of the federal, have officially informed their workers to stop coming to work on Mondays.