The Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has issued a directive to deploy troops to assert control over regions where the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) imposed a sit-at-home order in the Southeast states.

Lagbaja’s directive comes in response to an announcement made by Finland-based pro-Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa, who ordered a two-week sit-at-home protest scheduled to commence on Monday, July 31, reports The Guardian.

Ekpa said the protest’s aim, to demand the immediate and unconditional release of the IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, was sacrosanct, noting that the sit-at-home order was to facilitate the freedom of the Biafran nation, among other objectives.

The pro-Biafra agitator, however, warned that disobeying the sit-at-home order would have serious consequences.

The Director of Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu declared Ekpa’s announcement unlawful and stated that it would not be tolerated.

Nwachukwu said that the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, in collaboration with other security agencies, has been directed to conduct robust patrols, secure flashpoints, and ensure that citizens can freely carry out their lawful activities.

“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,” Nwachukwu stated.

“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.”

The army spokesperson, however, called upon Nigerians in the South-East region to disregard the sit-at-home order and encouraged them to support the security forces in their efforts to counter IPOB.

“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.

He noted that Ekpa, who claims leadership of IPOB, resides in Finland and issues command from there while expecting people in Nigeria to comply with his orders, which the army finds unacceptable.

Similarly, the Nigeria Police Force has vowed to resist the sit-at-home order in any part of the South-East.

The Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed that the police have taken action against non-state actors enforcing the order, resulting in arrests and the confiscation of weapons.

Adejobi assured South-East citizens that adequate security measures had been put in place to protect them and urged them to continue with their lawful activities.

Also, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State sought support for the abolition of the sit-at-home order during his visit to the Nigerian Navy headquarters in Abuja.

Governor Mbah previously declared the sit-at-home order banned in Enugu, citing its negative impact on the state’s economy. Despite the declaration, the order has remained in effect on Mondays.

The governor emphasised that attracting investors to the state would be difficult if the current state of affairs continued.

Source: The Guardian

Photo Credit: The Punch