*IPOB: We Don’t Know Such People, They Are Criminals
*‘Butchers Realised They Laboured In Vain’
CONFUSION has trailed the reported cancellation of the Monday sit-at-home directive across the Southeast, with effect from Monday, February 9, by a group claiming to represent the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The group made the announcement in a viral video on Sunday, February 8, urging all markets, schools, businesses and workplaces to resume normal activities from Monday, February 9, without fear or intimidation.
It attributed the decision to a directive from the group’s leader, Nnamdi Kanu, warning that any attempt to enforce the sit-at-home henceforth would be considered opposition to his orders and the Biafran cause.
According to the statement: “All markets, schools, offices, transport services and economic activities must resume fully and normally from tomorrow (Monday). The era of Monday sit-at-home is over.”
IPOB warned of possible false-flag operations or intimidation attempts by opponents, urging the people to remain vigilant, calm and law-abiding, even as it insisted that no state governor has the authority to threaten or forcibly shut down the businesses of traders who may choose to observe personal discretion.
The statement stressed that any market renovations or relocations must involve stakeholder consent and provision of temporary trading sites before work begins, appealling to all residents of the zone to resume normal activities and ensure children return to school.
However, The IPOB, in a statement by its known spokesman, Emma Powerful, distanced itself from the group, denying any knowledge of the it and describing its members as criminals allegedly recruited by Simon Ekpa to destabilise the Southeast.
Powerful stated: “We don’t know them. IPOB does not have such people. They are criminals recruited by infiltrator Simon Ekpa,” adding that IPOB completely dissociates itself from any criminal organisations involved in killings, abductions and destruction of lives and property in the region.
“Anyone involved with criminals and kidnappers under the guise of IPOB will not be accepted and will be called out. IPOB and the Eastern Security Network (ESN) are not affiliated with the criminals responsible for the chaos in our area.
In his reaction to the reported cancellation, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Joe Igbokwe, said the butchers in the zone have realised that they laboured in vain.
In a post on his Facebook page, titled, ‘No place to hide anymore in Igboland,’ Igbokwe said IPOB has realised that there is no place to hide anymore in the Southeast.
He stated: “The butchers of Southeast have now realized that they have laboured in vain. They are the ones calling off the SIT @ HOME fraud in Igboland. No place to hide anymore.
“They have suffered a crushing defeat they never expected. Did you see one of the butchers of SE, the compound illiterates and the murderers, the empty heads, one of the children of hate reading the address, the vagabonds of SE, the dregs of SE, the worst of the SE, telling us what to do in the land of educated champions, men and women. We have won the battle.
“What is left is how to smoke these criminals out of the forest whatever it will take. We have to use them to teach our people lessons of history. These hediots disgraced, dishonored, depopulated, looted and dragged SE back by 50 yrs.”
He said what is left is for the relevant authorities to decide how to clean up the mess caused by IPOB in the Southeast: “How do we clean up the mess they left behind? How we clear the Augean Stable? How do we fish them out from the forest in SE? How do we ensure that this tragedy will not rear its ugly head again?
“The first Civil War from 1966 to 1970 decimated millions of our people. We lost everything. The second civil war has been a case of Igbo versus Igbo. Igbo killing Igbo. Igbo looting Igbo.
“Igbo destroying Igboland with their own hands. Igbo crushing Igbo. Igbo eating Igbo alive. This is tragic. This is a disaster. This is a shame. They are not done yet. The madness is deep. But God is still on the throne.”
