The outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has denied declaring a one-week sit-at-home across South-east Nigeria.
Simon Ekpa, the leader of Autopilot, a faction of the IPOB, had, in a statement on 14 June, announced that there would be a one-week sit-at-home in the region.
Mr Ekpa, a self-acclaimed prime minister of the Biafra Republic Government in Exile, said the sit-at-home would hold from 3 to 5 July and continue from Friday, 7 to 10 July.
The agitator said the proposed civil action was to demand the “immediate and unconditional release” of the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who has been detained at the facility of Nigeria’s secret police, State Security Service (SSS).
He said the action was also in preparation for the conduct of “Biafra’s self-referendum.”
Background
IPOB, in August 2021, introduced a sit-at-home order every Monday across the South-east to pressure the Nigerian government to release its detained leader, Mr Kanu, who is standing trial on alleged terrorism at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The separatist group later suspended the order in preference for the order to be implemented only on the days Mr Kanu appears in court.
But despite its suspension, residents of the five South-east states —- Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo, Abia and Anambra —- have been observing the Monday sit-at-home order, mostly out of fear.
Some residents and motorists, including commuters, have been attacked lately by gunmen for stepping out of their homes on Monday and other declared sit-at-home days.
Source: www.premiumtimesng.com
