Abaribe: Sit-at-home has become money-making scheme for Simon Ekpa, his cohorts

Enyinnaya Abaribe, senator representing Abia south, says the sit-at-home order by Simon Ekpa, a self-acclaimed disciple of Nnamdi Kanu, has become a scheme for making money.

In an interview with Channels Television, Abaribe said Ekpa and his cohorts have refused to reverse the policy because they are making profits from it.

In a letter posted on Twitter in July by Aloy Ejimakor, special counsel to Kanu, the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), asked Ekpa to desist from calling for further sit-at-home.

Reacting to the letter, Ekpa said Kanu cannot write such a letter, adding that “it is not only a joke but an insult taken too far”.

Speaking on the development, Abaribe said the south-east leaders have agreed to meet with the federal government over the continued detention of Kanu.

“Last week, there was a hand-written message from him (Kanu),” Abaribe said.

“Of course, the man who is profiting from it, who is far away in Finland, denounced it and put more conditions saying they will never stop it until we (south-east leaders) see him in Finland.

“We can now see that because they profit from this, they are not going to stop it because it has become a money-making venture.

“We have seen adverts on the internet asking people to contribute money for the liberation of Biafra.

“Now, what do we do? We have to engage the government because there are also some subsisting issues on the ground.

“The court had granted him his freedom and the government applied to the same appeal court for stay of execution and appeal to the supreme court. The supreme court has not taken any decision.

“Part of the resolution is that we are going to engage everyone.

“We are going to engage the government at the same time on how we can make a solution that is favourable to all.”