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By Izunna Okafor, Awka
There is currently a state of ambivalence in the minds of some residents of the south-eastern Nigeria, as the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu ordered the cancellation of the 4-day sit-at-home recently declared by Mr. Simon Ekpa, purported to be enforced in the entire south-eastern Nigeria by the IPoB.
This cancellation and counter order was announced in a statement issued on Monday night by Barr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the Lead Counsel of the IPoB, shortly after he and some other members of Kanu’s legal team visited him in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Abuja.
According to him, Kanu distanced himself from the sit-at-home still being enforced by some rebels in the states that make up the Southeastern Nigeria despite several orders he had earlier issued against that.
According to Ejiofor, “Onyendu (Kanu) unequivocally stated that he has not ordered any sit-at-home in Biafra land.
“He directs that all our people should go about their normal life and businesses without hindrances, so as not to destroy the socio-economic life of our people, which have become the envy of all.”
Continuing, Ejiofor, who said they discussed many things with Mazi Kanu, noted that he (Kanu) also frowned at and utterly condemned the destructive activities of some marauders in the Igbo land who perpetrate different kinds of unimaginable acts with the name of IPoB.
“Destructive activities of some hired marauders who are presently exploiting the temporary absence of Onyendu to cause untold mayhem, vandalism and calamity on our sacred ancestral lands were thoroughly discussed.
“Onyendu reiterated and emphasised his long-held position of distancing himself and his IPOB movement from the illegal and nefarious activities of these God-forsaken elements who mean no well for the Ndigbo and Alaigbo,” Ejiofor’s statement added.
According to him, Kanu also revealed that those who declared this newest sit-at-home are working hand-in-hand with those people who don’t want him to be free and released from the detention.
He therefore, warned that the and their order should be ignored.
Recall that Simon Ekpa, a self-acclaimed disciple of the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, had, in a trending video, declared that a sit-at-home order would be enforced on 9th,10th, 11th, 12th, 13th or 14th of December in the entire state in the South-eastern Nigeria, as part of the move to stop election or any electoral activity from taking place in Igbo Land.
The stressed and cocky declaration, which has already shattered the plans of many people and sent worries and anxieties down the spine of many easterners and residents of the region, was said to be connected to Ekpa’s earlier announcement that the forthcoming general elections would not be held in the Southeast.
As though to amplify Ekpa’s announcement, another trending video surfaced online, with a masculine voice (showing only a gun in the bush), warning that anyone seen outside on those days of sit-at-home would be killed. The voiceover in the video claimed to be speaking in the interest Biafra and fighting for the creation of a Republic of Biafran
In the viral video, the unseen speaker with no mention of his name or location, advised people in the Eastern Region to buy and stock the food stuff they need in their homes which will last them for the days of the sit-at-home; warning that any attempt to step out of their homes would be met with death.
He noted that the group would simply kill anyone who defies the order and go out on any of those days.
“The information is that from December 9, December 10, December 11, December 12, December 13 and December 14, nobody should be seen outside. It is sit-at-home.
“Use this time till December 8, buy everything you will need. Stay in your house, if you come outside, you will die. Mark my word… mark my word,” the voice said.
Continuing, the voice said: “This sit-at-home is in Biafraland, we are not talking about the whole of Nigeria, we are talking about Biafraland.
“Buy everything that will sustain you for the few days we are talking about and stay safe in your house… Stay safe in your house, stay safe in your house,” he repeated for emphasis.
“Don’t come outside or you will die. I repeat, December 9, December 10, December 11, December 12, and December 14, it is sit-at-home days for Biafrans. If you come outside, you will die. Don’t say we did not warn you,” he concluded.
These order and counter order have all combined to cause confusion and create ambivalence in the minds of the people, as many now worry which of the orders to adhere to —whether to go about their normal businesses as Kanu’s advised through his messenger, or to remain indoor on the said dates, as Ekpa and the supporting faceless video have warned.
Speaking with this reporter in a telephone interview, an influential business mogul and politician in Anambra State who had scheduled a big event on one of the said days of the sit-at-home before the declaration, said he was currently confused as to whether to ignore the order as Kanu had said and take the risk of going on with his even, or to outrightly cancel the event.
“Many of my guests are already calling me to confirm if the event is still holding as scheduled or not, because of the news of the sit-at-home. But I don’t know the answer to give them. I only tell them to hold on, that I will get back to them. In fact, I’m still seriously confused as I am talking to you now. What is all this?” he worried.
All the efforts made to get the reactions and the stand of the Anambra State Police Command and the Command’s advice to Ndị Anambra with regards to the sit-at-home order, proved abortive, as the phone number of the State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, was not connecting as at the time of this publication.
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