THE Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has declared that next Monday’s sit-at-home in the South-East has been deferred till Tuesday.
In a statement issued today by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, the group said the change followed the trial of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, at the Court of Appeal in Abuja on Tuesday.
It also said its decision to shut down the South-East on Tuesday followed President Muhammadu Buhari’s planned visit to Imo State the same day.
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IPOB has, therefore, ordered all public and private institutions, including police stations, markets, schools, offices and banks, to shut down on Tuesday.
“If you are in support of Buhari detaining our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, then go to Owerri on Tuesday the 13th day of September and welcome the President.
“We, therefore, expect all markets, schools, banks, businesses and companies, including police stations in Biafra Land, to be under lock and key on Tuesday, September 13, 2022, in solidarity with our Leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” part of IPOB’s statement said.
The group warned anyone planning to welcome Buhari in Owerri, Imo State capital, to be ready for trouble.
The ICIR reports it is exactly one year that Buhari visited Imo State amid an IPOB sit-at-home order.
Buhari was reportedly welcomed into empty streets in Imo on September 9, 2021, after IPOB’s sit-at-home forced residents into their homes.
According to the group in its latest order, the change in date because of Kanu’s trial was not new to the region.
It claimed to have done so in August 2021 when Kanu was taken to court.
The group noted in its statement, “The global family and movement of the IPOB wishes to announce to the general public, especially Biafrans, that Tuesday, September 13, has been declared a day of civil action in the form of Sit-At-Home in Biafraland.
“Tuesday’s civil action is very important for two reasons: First, our leader’s Appeal Court hearing that was supposed to be on October 11 has been brought forward to September 13, 2022.
“As usual, we call on Biafrans and lovers of freedom to demonstrate our solidarity with our leader who is bearing our yoke in detention for over a year now.
“IPOB never issued a new directive to Biafrans but is simply implementing an existing order to lock down Biafraland any day our leader will appear in court at Abuja.”
The ICIR reports that IPOB’s security arm, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), is always on the ground to enforce the sit-at-home whenever it is declared.
IPOB, proscribed by Buhari in September 2017, has refused to back down on its agitation for secession of the South-East from Nigeria.
Kanu, its leader, has been standing trial for terrorism after he was controversially arrested and extradited from Kenya to Nigeria in 2021.
Marcus bears the light, and he beams it everywhere. He's a good governance and decent society advocate. He's The ICIR Reporter of the Year 2022 and has been the organisation's News Editor since September 2022. Contact him via email @ [email protected].