Two persons were reportedly killed in Nnewi, Anambra State on Monday as there was one hundred per cent compliance to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)’s ordered sit-at-home.
Eyewitnesses said they heard gunshots at Izuchukwu Junction as early as 6:00 am only to come out to see two lifeless bodies of young men.
But nobody could explain who shot them.
Meanwhile, markets, offices and other public places remain closed.
Even the roads and major streets are vacated.
Though, there was confusion on Sunday evening trailed the proposed sit-at-home order at the instance of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.
Contrary to an earlier statement by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, that its sit-at-home directive to the people of South East and South-South states was sacrosanct, another statement by IPOB leader’s younger brother, Kanunta Kanu, said the planned sit-at-home order had been suspended due to the National Examinations Council, NECO, examination for junior secondary schools.
However, Abia, Enugu, Anambra, Imo state governments and police commands in the southeast have asked residents to ignore the IPOB order and go about their legitimate businesses, with the police promising to provide security to resist the order.
Powerful said: “Today’s sit-at-home order is sacrosanct. The entire Biafra land will be locked down every Monday from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm beginning from today, August 9, 2021, until Nnamdi Kanu is released.
“We, the Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB, led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, wish to remind all Biafrans and friends of Biafra that the Monday sit-at-home order is sacrosanct.
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“The entire Biafra land will be locked down every Monday from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm beginning from tomorrow (today), August 9, 2021, until our leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who was abducted in Kenya, brought back to Nigeria and locked up in DSS dungeon in clear violation of international laws is freed.
“Consequently, there will be no movement throughout Biafra land on Mondays until our leader who is suffering for our freedom is released. This protest is peaceful but firm. Everybody is advised to stay indoors in total compliance.
“All markets, schools, motor parks, airports, and public places in Biafra land should shut down from morning to evening every Monday.
“We understand the economic implications of this measure but we are constrained to take it so that the world will know that our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, is not alone in the struggle for Biafra autonomy.
“We want his immediate release and our total freedom, and cannot hesitate to pay any sacrifice needed to achieve this, including locking down the entire Biafra land on Mondays.
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“All residents and visitors in Biafra land are advised to comply with the order. Nobody should go out to avoid any clash or intimidation by the wicked Nigeria security agents.”
However, in a statement by the IPOB leader’s younger brother, Kanunta Kanu, IPOB explained that it arrived at the decision to suspend the order, after listening to pleas from well-meaning individuals and groups that the order be suspended to allow students in Igbo land to participate in the NECO examination.
“IPOB has listened to pleas from well-meaning individuals and groups within and outside Biafra land that we consider the fate of our children who will be involved in the NECO Exam and based on that, we decided to shift grounds over the sit-at-home order.
“IPOB, having realized the academic deprivation the already marginalized Biafra students who entered for this year’s NECO would suffer, decided to suspend the sit-at-home order to a later date, to allow the students take their examinations.
“Allowing the sit-at-home to go ahead as earlier announced, in the face of the NECO Exam, would amount to assisting enemies of Biafra to inflict more injuries on her children.
“As a group fighting for the liberation of its people from oppression from its enemies, we realized that it would amount to assisting the said enemies to inflict more harm on our children if we do not suspend the sit-at-home order to allow Biafra students to take their exams”.
The statement further explained that the sit-at-home order has not been cancelled, but only suspended for the sake of Biafra students taking this year’s NECO examination and called on IPOB members to await further directives.
