Police warn IPOB against enforcing Sit-at-Home in Anambra

By Favour Goodness

The Anambra State Police Command has vowed to tackle the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) for threatening indigenes of the state to stay at home every Monday until its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu will be released.

The Commissioner of Police, Chris Awolabi gave this warning on Sunday, noting that said the command was aware of IPOB’s order, but are working underground to thwart it.

According to the police commissioner, we are not used to doing our work in the open. We believe in covert operations.

He said: “If you are in Anambra, you will know what we have been doing. IPOB is a prescribed group. What do you want me to say about them? We are working.

“I do not believe in coming to the media to do my work. But if you were in Anambra, you would have seen what we are doing. We are working on that.”

Meanwhile, the South-east Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (SECSOs), has called on the people of the South-east to ignore IPOB and go about their duties.

In a statement by its President, Dr Livinus Onwuteaka and its Secretary, Michael Orji, the group said the order was detrimental to the people of the zone, rather than to its benefits.

The statement read in part: “We have received reports claiming that the IPOB has directed the people of the Southeast to observe every Monday, with effect from next week, as a work-free day till its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, is released from detention.

“It is difficult for the people of the Southeast, nay Nigeria, to process the essence of the directive. They are not the ones who arrested Nnamdi Kanu, nor is he in their custody. Why should they be punished?

“There are millions of people in the South-east, as in other parts of the country, who barely eke out an existence. They include painters, bricklayers, electricians, bus conductors, commercial drivers, palm wine tappers and market women who deal in akara, fried yam, potato and plantain, to say nothing about millions of young men and women who are unemployed or underemployed.

“To ask this category of people, who are still smarting from the effects of the COVID-19 lockdowns, to stay indoors for a whole day every week is inconsiderate.

“We wish to advise any group which wants to take a decision that will have long-term consequences for the Igbo to consult extensively with Ohaneze Ndi Igbo, among other stakeholders in the South-east. Unilateralism is not the way to go.

“In conclusion, we advise all our people to go about their normal business every day of the week. It is in their interest to do so. We are delighted that adequate measures have been put in place to guarantee our people not just their freedom of movement but also the freedom to improve their welfare and general condition.”

Meanwhile, reports about IPOB’s sit-at-home is becoming stronger in Anambra, especially in Onitsha.

A trader at the main market, Onitsha said that there have been unofficial announcements in the markets to state that the market may not open on Monday.

In trying to instill fear in the people, IPOB had said it would use its military arm, Eastern Security Network (ESN) to enforce the order.