The Nigerian Army has made known its readiness to abolish the sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) throughout the South-East states.
Its Chief of Army Staff, Maj Gen Taoreed Lagbaja revealed that the force ordered troops to disrupt the upcoming order by the Finland-based pro-Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa.
Ekpa announced a two-week sit-at-home in the Southeast region from July 31.
The purpose of the order, he claimed, was to demand the immediate and unconditional release of the detained leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kano, and among other things, promote the freedom of the nation of Biafra.
Ekpa warned that failure to obey the sit-at-home order would have “serious consequences.”
However, the Director of Army Public Relations, Brig Gen Onyema Nwachukwu, in an interview with The PUNCH disputed the statement stressing that it was illegal and will not be tolerated.
To ensure the planned stay-at-home stoppage, Nwachukwu disclosed that troops of the 82 Division have been ordered to collaborate with other security agencies to ensure that citizens continue to do business freely.
Onyema 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.”
He called on Nigerians in the South-East to ignore the sit-at-home order and urged them to support the security forces in defeating IPOB.
Onyema said:
“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.”
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