July 13, (THEWILL) – The Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has directed troops to assert control over regions where the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) imposed a sit-at-home order in the South-East states.
The order followed the directive by Finland-based factional leader of IPOB, Simon Ekpa, who ordered a two-week sit-at-home protest, scheduled to commence on Monday, July 31.
Ekpa said the protest’s aim, to demand the immediate and unconditional release of the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, was sacrosanct, noting that the sit-at-home order was to facilitate the freedom of the Biafran nation, among other objectives.
Ekpa also warned that disobeying the sit-at-home order would have serious consequences.
Reacting to the Sit-at-home directive, the COAS, in a statement issued by Director of Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, declared Ekpa’s order unlawful.
Nwachukwu said 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.
“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.
“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 said, adding 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.
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