Anxiety as security agencies battle IPOB over sit-at-home in South-east

There is palpable tension in Nigeria’s south-east as security operatives across the region have declared war against the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) over a sit-at-home order.

IPOB’s sit-at-home

IPOB earlier this month announced that there would be a sit-at-home on 30 May across the South-east to mark their Biafra Day which is celebrated annually in the region.

Emma Powerful, the IPOB’s spokesperson, in a statement, said the celebration was intended to remember IPOB members who died in “the fight for freedom”.

IPOB is a group seeking to carve out a sovereign state of Biafra from the South-east and some parts of the south-south of Nigeria.

“Annually, we celebrate 30th May as our heroes and heroines day when we remember the men and women who died that we may live, before, during, and after the Nigerian war between 1967 and 1970 and beyond and even until now,” he said.

“To this effect, IPOB directs all schools, government, offices, private offices, banks, transport unions, market unions and private individuals to shut down all operations in honour of our heroes and heroines on Thursday, May 30, 2024,” Mr Powerful stated, adding that only health workers are exempted from the illegal order.

However, in a contradictory statement, Simon Ekpa, a pro-Biafra agitator, announced that the sit-at-home would last for three days from 29 to 31 May 2024.

Mr Ekpa, who leads Auto Pilot, a faction of IPOB, said the three-day sit-at-home was necessary to enable “Biafrans to vote for the Liberation of Biafra.”

The agitator, who is based in Finland, asked Igbos and “lovers of the South-east” to stay at home on the mentioned days in honour of “Biafran heroes” who died during the Nigerian civil war.

He asked the West African Examination Council (WAEC) to reschedule its Seniorlovers Examination (SSCE) billed to be held within the time in the South-east.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that WAEC had fixed 30 May for its General Mathematics examination across the region.

Police ready for battle

Reacting, the police in Anambra State said they were ready to frustrate the plan by the separatists to enforce the illegal order in the region.

The police spokesperson in Anambra State, Tochukwu Ikenga, in a statement on Wednesday, said the police in the state were aware that some IPOB members were circulating video clips on social media wherein they threatened to deal with residents who stepped out during the illegal order.

“It is imperative to inform the public that actionable intelligence indicates that these individuals, in their bid to enforce the unlawful sit-at-home order, fabricate threatening voice-over recordings and circulate outdated videos of violent incidents, some of which did not occur within the state or even the country.

“The Command is fully aware of these secessionist activities and urges the law-abiding citizens of Anambra to disregard such propaganda,” Mr Ikenga, a superintendent of police, said.

The police spokesperson assured residents of the state that “the police, along with other security agencies, have mobilised law enforcement resources to ensure the safety and security of every citizen in the state.”

He recalled that police operatives, on 29 May, intercepted a gang of four armed men planning to enforce the illegal order in the state.

“During the encounter, one miscreant was apprehended, while the other three managed to evade capture, sustaining bullet injuries in the process,” he said.

Like Anambra, like Imo

On their part, the police in Imo State have also vowed to resist the illegal order in the state.

The police spokesperson in the state, Henry Okoye, in a statement on Wednesday, asked residents of the state to disregard the sit-at-home order.

Mr Okoye, an assistant superintendent of police, said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Aboki Danjuma, has deployed security operatives across all parts of the state to ensure safety.

“The commissioner of police in Imo State, Aboki Danjuma, has urged the law-abiding residents of the state to go about their lawful businesses without any form of fear or intimidation as the command in synergy with other security agencies has emplaced adequate security measures to evade any threat of attack by any insurgent group,” he said.

“Joint security operatives drawn from police, military, civil defence, road safety, immigration and fire service have been massively deployed to embark on confidence-building patrol and operation show of force across the 26 LGAs of the state, to ensure public safety,” Mr Okoye stated.

The police spokesperson warned those planning to disrupt the peace being enjoyed in the state to desist as security agencies will prosecute any caught in such act.

He asked residents to report any suspicious person or activities to the police for action.