IPOB suspends sit-at-home order in south-east

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has suspended its sit-at-home order slated for every Monday in the south-east.

IPOB said the sit-at-home order will be reactivated whenever Nnamdi Kanu, its leader, appears in court.

The proscribed group had said it would enforce a lockdown every Monday — which it tagged ‘Ghost Monday’ — from August 9, in the south-east until Kanu is released.

The sit-at-home order is to protest the arrest and detention of Kanu.

In June, Kanu was arrested in Kenya and brought to Nigeria. He was re-arraigned on charges bordering on treasonable felony brought against him by the federal government over his campaign for the separatist Republic of Biafra.

On Monday, there were no serious commercial activities across some cities and towns in the south-east following IPOB’s sit-at-home order.

The decision of the proscribed group elicited reactions from many stakeholders in the south-east and some said the order would cripple economic activities in the region.

During a broadcast streamed across social media platforms on Friday, Chika Edoziem, the group’s head of directorate, announced the new directive.

“There has been some discussion whether we must continue our ghost town in Biafra land. I wish to announce this very evening that as directed by the highest command of this movement, our Monday ghost town or sit-at-home in Biafra land stands suspended,” he said.

“The weekly sit-at-home in Biafra land stands suspended for now. That means in the coming Monday there would be no sit-at-home in Biafra land.

“We must revert our attention to the trial of our leader that is coming up. Our sit-at-home bearing any new information given to Biafrans all over the world.

“Our sit-at-home will be on each court date, when our leader will be appearing in court. Before then, we will make that information. Our sit-at-home will be taken place in the next court appearance of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”