Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB; and its Leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, respectively, have urged members of the public to discountenance a viral video asking people to observe a five-day sit-at-home in Biafra land, and threatening death against any defaulter.
An unidentified person in a viral video circulating in the social media ordered people in the South-East to remain indoors from December 9 to 12 or pay with their lives if they default.
But Kanu has said he never authorized any sit-at-home order on the said dates.
The IPOB Leader who spoke through one of his lawyers, Mr Nnaemeka Ejiofor, who paid him a visit on Monday in the company of Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) and Ifeanyi Ejiofor, said that those behind the evil video are agents of the Federal Government who want him to be detained perpetually.
Kanu said he had not directed anybody whether in Nigeria or abroad to observe any 5-day sit-at-home for him.
According to him, the promoters of the purported sit-at-home are acting on illegality and without authorisation.
He dismissed them as real enemies of Ndigbo and Biafra.
“The order is contrary to the spirit of Biafra struggles and against Igbo interest,” Kanu said.
The IPOB Leader further condemned in strong terms, the ongoing criminality, killings, kidnappings and banditry in the South-East.
“The Killing, robbing and kidnapping of Igbos being perpetrated by agents of death from the hell cannot in anyway facilitate Biafra. You cannot be killing people you claim to be fighting to liberate. Those behind these atrocities are not working for Biafra.
“All criminalities going on in Biafra must be stopped by all means possible and all means necessary. Anybody engaging in this criminality will fail.”
Similarly, IPOB Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, in a statement issued Tuesday, said those behind the evil video were anti-Biafra recruited to demonise IPOB.
He urged people to disregard them vowing that Biafra volunteers would be mobilised to resist the enforcement of the purported order.
The statement read in part: “IPOB under the command and leadership of our great prophet and indefatigable liberator Mazi Nnamdi Kanu wishes to state unequivocally to the people of Biafra, friends of Biafra, and lovers of Biafra freedom that IPOB leadership did not issue any sit-at-home order on 9th,10th, 11th, 12th, 13th or 14th of December 2022,” the statement said.
IPOB urged members of the public to ignore the said order and go about their lawful businesses without fear of molestations.
It further read: “IPOB never issued any sit-at-home order on these days mentioned above because we are not miscreants, senseless, or jobless people.
“Every Biafran and residents in Biafra Land should ignore such order from untrained and brainless individuals whose agenda is to make Biafra agitation unattractive to our people. Every Biafran must go to their normal business on those days.
“IPOB who is concerned about our people cannot issue such brainless uncaring 5-day consecutive sit-at-home order to suffer our people during this critical time of the year when people are trying to make up in their businesses for the year.
“The conception of consecutive 5-day sit-at-home by a Nigeria agent and his sponsors is to show the level of wickedness and hatred they have against our people. Their agenda is to create insecurity and unnecessary hardships to make our people jettison Biafra freedom.”
“Our people should be prepared and ready to confront any fool who dares to enforce such wicked sit-at-home. More so, ESN operatives and IPOB volunteers will be out on these dates to protect our people and the markets.
“The idiots who are issuing this brazen sit-at-home order should know that IPOB leadership has never authorised anyone to issue order of such magnitude in Biafra land, therefore, it will not work out for them.
“Our people should go to their businesses without fear. IPOB has put the propagandists and their foot-soldiers in Biafra land on check.
“Biafra restoration is moving well and we must exit this cage called Nigeria by the grace of Elohim.”
Meanwhile, IPOB has said it had not ordered for the boycott of the 2023 polls.
It rather urged anyone willing to vote during the exercise to collect their PVCs and vote according to their conscience, adding, however, that it has no interest in the election.
“Again, every one has his or her rights to go and collect his or her PVC from their pooling and registration centre without molestations. IPOB never boycott election and has nothing to do with Nigeria shambolic elections.
IPOB vowed to deal with any miscreants trying to disrepute the movement.
