Army chief orders soldiers to end IPOB’s sit-at-home enforcement

Army chief orders soldiers to end IPOB’s sit-at-home enforcement

 

The Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has ordered the deployment of troops in South-East states to thwart the sit-at-home directive imposed by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the region.

Lagbaja’s directive is in response to an announcement by Finland-based pro-Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa, for a two-week sit-at-home protest scheduled to commence on Monday, July 31.

This also came as South-East leaders are planning to meet with President Bola Tinubu to discuss the lingering insecurity in the region.

Hope Uzodinma, governor of Imo State, on Thursday after meeting with Tinubu told journalists at the presidential villa, Abuja, that the insecurity in the region urgently needed the intervention of the Federal Government.

In recent times, the South-East has witnessed a spate of violent attacks amid the constant sit-at-home orders issued by IPOB.

Ekpa has said the planned protest aimed at demanding the immediate and unconditional release of the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, noting that the sit-at-home order was to facilitate the freedom of the Biafran nation, among other objectives.

The pro-Biafra agitator, however, warned that disobeying the sit-at-home order would have serious consequences.

But Director of Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, declared Ekpa’s announcement unlawful and stated that it would not be tolerated.

Nwachukwu said that the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, in collaboration with other security agencies, has been directed to conduct robust patrols, secure flashpoints, and ensure that citizens can freely carry out their lawful activities.

“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,” Nwachukwu stated.

“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.”

The army spokesperson, however, called upon Nigerians in the South-East region to disregard the sit-at-home order and encouraged them to support the security forces in their efforts to counter IPOB.

“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.

“Similarly, the police have vowed to resist the sit-at-home order in any part of the South-East.”

He noted that Ekpa, who claims leadership of IPOB, resides in Finland and issues command from there while expecting people in Nigeria to comply with his orders, which the army finds unacceptable.

Similarly, the Nigeria Police Force has vowed to resist the sit-at-home order in any part of the South-East.

The Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed that the police had taken action against non-state actors enforcing the order, resulting in arrests and the confiscation of weapons.