Arising from the recent purported five-day sit-at-home order by a self-acclaimed disciple of Indigenous ous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mr. Simon Ekpa, Igbo youth group has condemned the order while criticizing Mr. Ekpa for the order.
The group under the aegis of The Concerned Igbo Youth in a press release on Thursday, encouraged the people of South East zone of Nigeria to disregard the “nonsensical order” and go about their normal business.
The release which was signed by its President, Hon. Okonkwo Obinna and Secretary, Hon. Prince Chilaka and made available to our reporter, asked Mr. Ekpa to come back home from Finland where is currently allegedly hiding, and face the reality in Nigeria.
“We as an Igbo youth group with the interest of the common good of all Igbos irrespective of religious beliefs, creed or political linings wish to state without equivocation that we are totally against the sit-at-home order made by one Simon Ekpa a self-acclaimed disciple of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
“We make bold to say that, no one in the South East should obey such nonsensical order as it is not in any way beneficial to the socio-economic, political, and spiritual needs of our people, rather it is inhuman, insensitive, and irrational.
“Mr. Simon Ekpa should come back to Nigeria from Finland where he is hiding and lead from the front. Enough of insensitive orders that do not ameliorate the sufferings of our people from every Dick and Harry.”
Expressing further concern, the group stated that “one begins to wonder what Simon Ekpa stands to gain if he succeeds in preventing our people who are mostly traders and daily income earners from attending to their day-to-day activities.
“Simon Ekpa and all lovers of what is good should channel their efforts in promoting, campaigning, and supporting the emergence of Peter Obi as the next President of Nigeria and nothing more. This is the best shot we have of having one of our sons as the President of Nigeria, as all other ethnic groups are in support of him.”
However, on Monday, December 6, the Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB also issued a statement, distancing itself from the order.
In a press release by its Media and Publicity Secretary Comrade Emma Powerful, the group stated that nobody should obey the order.
“The global family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the command and leadership of our great prophet and indefatigable liberator Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu KANU wish to state unequivocally to the people of Biafra, friends of Biafra, and lovers of Biafra freedom that IPOB leadership did not issue any sit-at-home order on 9th,10th, 11th, 12th, 13th or 14th of December 2022.
“IPOB never issued any sit-at-home order on these days mentioned above because we are not miscreants, senseless, or jobless people.
“Every Biafran and resident in Biafra Land should ignore such order from untrained and brainless individuals whose agenda is to make Biafra agitation unattractive to our people. Every Biafran must go to their normal business on those days.
“IPOB who is concerned about our people cannot issue such brainless uncaring 5-day consecutive sit at home order to suffer our people during this critical time of the year when people are trying to make up in their businesses for the year. The conception of a consecutive 5-day sit at home by a Nigeria Agent and his sponsors is to show the level of wickedness and hatred they have against our people. Their agenda is to create insecurity and unnecessary hardships to make our people jettison Biafra’s freedom. How wicked!
“Again, everyone has his or her right to go and collect his or her PVC from their pooling and registration center without molestations. IPOB never boycott election and has nothing to do with Nigeria’s shambolic elections.”
Recall that one Simon Ekpa had in video ordered the people of the area to stay at home for five days, consecutively within the period, except on Tuesday, December 13, when directed that people could go to market to purchase food items.
He stated that the sit-at-home was in “preparation for the exit of Biafra from Nigeria.”
Ekpa who IPOB leadership described as a “faceless idiot” working for forces against the realization of Biafra project stated that by ordering the sit-at-home, Ekpa wanted to unleash hardship on the people of the area under the guise of fighting for Biafra, so that the people of the South East would reject the agitation.”