By Nicholas Ojo
The Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja has ordered troops to take over South Eastern Nigerian areas where separatist groups are enforcing their sit-at-home order.
Filand-Based pro-Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa, had announced that there will be a two-week sit-at-home in Nigeria’s South-East region from July 31.
In a tweet on Tuesday, July 11, Ekpa also demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu who was arrested and detained for charges bordering on terrorism, treasonable felony, managing an unlawful society and publication of defamatory matter, amongst others.
“Following the demand by the Biafra people for more sit-at-home civil disobedience, the Biafra Republic Government In-Exile (BRGIE) and Biafra De Facto Government In Homeland wish to notify Biafrans that there will be a sit-at-home civil disobedience starting from 31 July, 2023 to 14 August, 2023,” Ekpa said.
Ekpa warned that failure to comply with the order will attract ‘heavy consequences’.
He added: “From Monday, 7th August to Friday, 11 August, there will be total lockdown in Biafraland while on Saturday, 12 August and Sunday, 13 August 2023, there will be a break as all Biafran markets will open.
“On Monday, 14 August, there will be lockdown in Biafraland. We hereby call on all market leaders to strictly adhere to this order and treat it with utmost seriousness.
“We also call on all oil companies operating in the Biafran territory to shutdown oil exploration on these dates to avoid the anger of the Biafran people, which may come with heavy consequences.”
However, Maj. Gen. Lagbaja on Thursday ordered the 82 Division of the Army based in Enugu to work with other security agencies to ensure citizens go about their businesses freely, according to the Director of Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu.
Speaking in an interview with The PUNCH, the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, described the announcement as unlawful and would not be condoned.
Onyema explained that the troops of the 82 Division had been given an order to work with other security agencies to ensure citizens go about their businesses freely. Calling on Nigerians in the South-East region to disregard the sit-at-home order.
He urged them to support the security forces to defeat IPOB.
He said, “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.
“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.
“Strangely, Simon Ekpa, a notorious terrorist and self-acclaimed leader of IPOB, is in Finland making a living for himself and his family, but ordering the people to shut down their means of livelihood by sitting at home.
“We implore the good and enterprising people of the Soutsecurityh-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 operatives to resist this illegality perpetrated by IPOB.”
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