Ebonyi State Government Opposes IPOB’s Sit At Home Order

Ebonyi State government yesterday said the activities of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB and Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, would not be tolerated in the state.

This came as the Nigerian Police Force, NPF, Anambra State Command vowed to deal decisively with any individual or group, under any guise, who disrupts public peace. The police insisted that IPOB, as a proscribed organisation, lacked the legitimacy to declare a protest order but IPOB  in a reaction, said the Police can’t stop it from carrying out its religious obligation to Biafran fallen heroes.



Commissioner of Police, Anambra State, Mr. Garba Umar, who described the group as “misguided elements,” urged the people in the state to disregard the order and go about their lawful businesses, assuring that the state Police command is on top of the situation. “The command, with other security agencies, will not hesitate to deal decisively with any individual or group under any guise, who disrupts public peace,” he said.

But members of  IPOB, numbering about 2,000, yesterday, around 12.05 pm marched through Zik’s Round-about Onitsha, through Awka Road, Old Market Road and headed towards Onitsha Main Market, chanting songs in sensitisation of the people that its sit-at-home directive must be strictly adhered by every good Igbo man. The group grounded vehicular movements from Zik Roundabout, to Onitsha Main Market, as motorists were driving behind them, hailing their peaceful conduct.

Ebonyi  Govt Opposes Sit-At-Home Order,

Addressing newsmen in Abakaliki, the Senior Special Assistant, SSA, to Governor David Umahi on Internal Security, Hon. Kenneth Ugbala who called on citizens of the state to go about their lawful businesses on  May 30th,  stressed that the current administration would deal with any person or group of persons who would want to cause mayhem or violate the fundamental rights of Ebonyi people on that day. He said: “We are here today to disabuse the minds of workers at all levels, that there is nothing like sit-at-home order in Ebonyi State. “We are not against people championing a cause, but it should be done according to procedure, rule of law and the law of the land. Workers are hereby directed to go about their lawful businesses without any form of intimidation or blackmail from MASSOB or IPOB.”

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