Army Chief Gives Marching Order Against IPOB’s Sit-At-Home Directive | READ MORE

The Nigerian Army has vowed not to condone the two weeks sit-at-home order issued by Finland based Simon Ekpa, a member of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in southeastern states.

The Chief of Army Staff, Major General Taoreed Lagbaja, has therefore directed the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army to operate 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 in the south east.

The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, disclosed this in an interaction with newsmen.

“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” Nwachukwu said.

The Army charged the public to go about their daily businesses without fear and also join forces “with the security operatives to resist this illegality perpetrated by 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 added.

After the one week sit at home order which resulted to havoc in some south east states, Simon Ekpa announced that there would be a two-week sit-at-home in the region effective from July 31.

According to him, the order was to demand the immediate and unconditional release of the detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, as well as facilitate the freedom of Biafra nation, among others.

Ekpa warned that failure to comply with the sit-at-home order would attract ‘heavy consequences’.