The sit-at-home ordered by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) scheduled to commence on Monday has been suspended by Kanunta Kanu, a younger brother of the leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu.
However, a statement released on Sunday by the Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Emma Powerful, and made available to journalists in Anambra State, said Monday’s sit-at-home order by the group remained sacrosanct.
Kanunta Kanu had said in his statement that he ordered the suspension of the sit-at-home due to the just began National Examination Council (NECO) Exam for junior secondary schools.
He said a new date for the commencement of the sit-at-home order would be announced later.
The pro-Biafra group had, penultimate week, in what appeared to be in solidarity with its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, ordered for sit-at-home that would be observed every Monday throughout Igbo land, starting from August 9, until when his trial would end.
However, in a statement, the IPOB leader’s younger brother said the group arrived at the decision to suspend the sit-at-home, after listening to pleas from well-meaning individuals and groups within and outside South East that the order be suspended to allow students from the area to participate in the NECO Exam.
“IPOB has listened to pleas from well-meaning individuals and groups within and outside Biafra land that we consider the fate of our children who will be involved in the NECO Exam and based on that, we decided to shift grounds over the sit-at-home order”, the statement read in part.
The statement added that IPOB on its part, having realized the academic deprivation the South East students who entered for this year’s NECO would suffer, decided to suspend the sit-at-home order to a later date, to allow the students to take their exams.
Kanu equally made it clear that allowing the sit-at-home to go ahead as earlier announced, in the face of the NECO Exam would amount to assisting enemies of South-East to inflict more injuries on her children.
“As a group fighting for the liberation of her people from oppression from her enemies, we realized that it would amount to assisting the said enemies to inflict more harm on our children if we do not suspend the sit-at-home order to allow…students take their exams”.
However, the groups’ Publicity Secretary stated that the Monday sit-at-home order is still subsisting.
He said, starting from tomorrow, the entire South-East would be locked down every Monday from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm until Nnamdi Kanu is released.
According to him, there would be no movement throughout the region, assuring that the protest would be peaceful but firm.
He advised everybody to stay indoors in total compliance.
“All markets, schools, motor parks, airports, and public places in South-East should shut down from morning to evening every Monday.
“We understand the economic implications of this measure but we are constrained to take it so that the world will know that our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, is not alone in the struggle for South-East autonomy.
“We want his immediate release and our total freedom, and cannot hesitate to pay any sacrifice needed to achieve this including locking down the entire South-East on Mondays.
“All residents and visitors in the South-East are advised to comply with the order.
“Nobody should go out to avoid any clash or intimidation by the wicked Nigeria security agents,” he said.
