The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) are enforcing a sit-at-home order throughout the South East states, and the Nigerian Army has ordered troops to seize control of those territories.
This comes after Simon Ekpa, a pro-Biafra agitator living in Finland, issued a new sit-at-home order on July 31.
He claimed that among other things, the order called for the immediate and unconditional release of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu who is currently in custody.
‘Heavy penalties’ would result from disobeying the sit-at-home directive, Ekpa said.
Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, director of army public relations, stated in an interview with punch that such a pronouncement was illegal and would not be tolerated.
He claimed that the 82 Division troops had been instructed to cooperate with other security organizations to guarantee that people could go about their daily lives without restriction.
Onyema said, “The renewed threat by IPOB to compel the people in southeastern Nigeria to sit at home is not only appalling but a violation of the fundamental rights of southeastern Nigerians and, therefore, unlawful. This will never be condoned.
“The Chief of Army Staff has handed down clear directives to the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army operating in synergy with other security agencies to ensure robust patrols to dominate all flashpoints and emplace measures to ensure citizens are free to go about their legitimate businesses.
“Strangely, Simon Ekpa, a notorious terrorist and self-acclaimed leader of IPOB, is in Finland making a living for himself and his family, but ordering the people to shut down their means of livelihood by sitting at home.”
The army spokesman called on Nigerians in the South-East region to disregard the sit-at-home order, urging them to support the security forces to defeat IPOB.
Onyema said, “We implore the good and enterprising people of the South-East to shun all forms of cajoling or threats aimed at unlawfully compelling them to be reclusive by sitting at home. We urge them to join forces with the security operatives to resist this illegality perpetrated by IPOB.”