The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has again distanced itself from the sit-at-home directive aimed at grounding activities in Southeast Nigeria on Tuesday, October 4.
The detained leader of the separatist group, Nnamdi Kanu on Saturday told his supporters not to enforce any sit-at-home order on October 4.
A Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia is expected to deliver a ruling on jurisdictional issues raised suo motu by the Court in a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Kanu against the Nigerian Government.
Kanu in a statement through IPOB’s lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, said the clarification became compelling and necessary, because of the avalanche of misleading information on social media, and a plethora of calls he had received from concerned supporters to this effect.
Ejiofor advised members of the public to go about their normal business activities on the said date.
However, the group’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, in a statement on Sunday insisted that IPOB leadership did not authorise any sit-at-home order in the Southeast on Tuesday, October 4.
He explained that the clarification became necessary because of rumours making the rounds that a sit-at-home has been declared, urging the people of the region to ignore such rumours, stressing that those responsible for peddling the “falsehood” should stop it immediately.
The statement read in part, “We, the global movement and family of IPOB wish to remind Biafrans, friends of Biafra and lovers of freedom across the world that IPOB is not issuing a sit-at-home order on Tuesday, October 4, 2022.
“The day is a day when IPOB is going to challenge the Federal Government over the illegal abduction and extraordinary rendition of our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from Kenya to Nigeria.
“The Federal Government must provide evidence to the world on how and why they kidnapped and renditioned Kanu to Nigeria at Umuahia High Court.
“Yes that day is his court date but he is not appearing in court on that day, therefore, there will be no sit-at-home.
“We want every Biafran both home and in the diaspora to ignore such rumours, and anybody who is responsible for peddling this kind of falsehood should stop it immediately. IPOB leadership has not authorised such a purported order.”
“IPOB is watching those with such mindsets who suffer our people. They will regret their actions soon. Anybody who contributes to the death of our people will pay dearly whether he or she is security personnel, civilian, religious leader, man, or woman, including the politicians who contribute in small or big measures to ensure that our people incur human, and material losses,” the statement further said.
