IPOB blasts S-East govs for weekly closure of markets, banks on Mondays

NNEWI—THE Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, yesterday, accused South East governors of benefiting from continued closure  of markets and banks in the southeast on the pretext of observing fake sit-at-home allegedly ordered and being implemented by miscreants, who want to tarnish IPOBs name and paint a bad picture of  its leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

IPOB alleged that South East Governors and some Igbo politicians who are working against IPOB, can do anything against the Igbo to get political favour and patronage from the powers that be in Abuja, and therefore, the Igbo can suffer as long as they are doing the biddings of the powers at Aso Rock.

The group spoke as the family and lawyers to the detained Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, have raised fresh concerns over his safety, claiming that they have twice been denied access to him.

A statement by IPOB’ s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful expressing IPOB’s happiness for normal vehicular and human movements on Mondays in the South East and the desire of the group for full return of commercial and business operations in the zone, said that only South East Governors can explain why markets and banks have not returned to business on Mondays, adding that IPOB has from inception condemned people sitting at home on Mondays.

According to IPOB’s statement, “We told you people that South East governors have hands in stopping our people from going back to their businesses because they want to use the opportunity to blackmail IPOB and Nnamdi Kanu.

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“Some South East Governors arranged unknown gunmen and cultists to intimidate our people thinking they will destroy IPOB, but we are  smarter than them  and we know  some of their  acts to destroy IPOB. They have never hidden their activities to destroy IPOB and impress their ‘slave masters’ in Abuja.

“IPOB cancelled Monday sit- at- home when we realized it will not be in the interest of our people  and we even mobilized to deal with the criminals allegedly enforcing it but some of our governors are using the order to destroy economic activities in the region because that was the agreement they had with   their pay masters in Abuja.

“We therefore commend our people for coming out on Mondays, to go about their businesses. We want the banks and other businesses to start coming out because the Monday sit-at-home is not sanctioned by IPOB.

“IPOB authorities have suspended it after the first week of its observance in August last year. Anybody enforcing it is an enemy of our people. We wonder why South East governors refused to order for the opening of markets and banks in the region. They know what to do to any bank that disobeys their directive to commence operations, but they will not do the needful because they feel they can bring down IPOB and Nnamdi Kanu with blackmail- oriented sit-at-home.”

Family, lawyers raise alarm over Nnamdi Kanu’s safety

Kanu’s younger brother, Prince Emmanuel Kanu, told Vanguard that he was at the Abuja headquarters of the Department of State Services, DSS, where the IPOB Leader is currently detained but was not allowed to see him.

Prince  Kanu said he was also at the DSS headquarters on Thursday last week to see his brother as directed by the Court but was denied access to him and  expressed  worry over the reason behind the action of DSS.

He said he was no longer convinced that his brother was in good shape, hence, the secret police do not want to grant the family access to him.

“I have been denied access to see Mazi Nnamdi Kanu on two seperate occasions at the Department of State Services in Abuja.

“It goes to show that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s life is in grave danger. It remains the order of the court that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu  must be seen twice weekly , Mondays and Thursdays.

“Why can’t I see him ? Has he been killed or poisoned ? There must be proof of life. We demand a proof of life”, he later posted on his Facebook page.

Similarly, IPOB’s lead Counsel, Ifeanyi  Ejiofor  said  the  action of the DSS was a clear violation of the court’s positive orders.

To tackle the issue, the IPOB lawyer, said  it has filled contempt forms to the Chief Registrar of the Federal High court in Abuja  against the DSS and that he was waiting for the Chief Registrar to endorse the relevant forms.

Ejiofor was not happy that it was not the first time the DSS   has refused the IPOB’s legal team from seeing their client.

According to Ejiofor, “Consistent with our routine, we were at the DSS Headquarters today to observe the court-ordered visit to our dear Client, Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. But for the second time after the last court sitting, we were bluntly denied access to our Client by the personnel of the DSS.

“This development is appalling and condemnable because there was no plausible reason(s) proffered for this violent affront to a Court Order.

“Recall that the Order made by His Lordship, Hon. Justice Binta Nyako guiding our routine visits to our Client – Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is unequivocal that these visits should be conducted on Mondays and Thursdays between the hours of 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM.

“During our visit to Onyendu last week Thursday, being the 17th day of February 2022, in observance of this Court sanctioned visit, the personnel of the DSS turned us back, insisting that the officials assigned to receive us were not available. The same flimsy reason was given today, 21st February 2022, for denying us access to Onyendu in deliberate and flagrant disobedience to Court Orders.

“With the foregoing, if the Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court Abuja, fails and/or refuses to endorse the relevant contempt forms filed against the Director-General of the DSS for the gross disobedience to positive Orders of Court, as he has done in the past, then, it will become obvious to the world that the Registrar of the Federal High Court Abuja is actively protecting the contemnors.”

Also commenting, Kanu’s Special Counsel, Mr. Aloy Ejimakor, who took to his Twitter handle, demanded explanations for the action of the DSS which he said was suspicious.

“Last Thursday, we were not allowed visitation with Onyendu because, according to DSS, the “special special squad” in charge of visitations went on “outside assignment.

“They asked us to come on Monday (today).

Today, we are at DSS. They are telling us the same thing. We disagree!”

During Kanu’s last court appearance on Wednesday, February 16, his lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, had informed the presiding judge, Justice Binta Nyako that DSS had also not allowed Kanu change of clothes despite to his earlier order.

But DSS claimed that the clothes brought to him by the family had an insignia that should not be tolerated.

Vanguard