The proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) says it will enforce a sit-at-home order on October 1 as Nigeria marks its 61st Independence anniversary on the same day.
The group in a statement signed by its publicity secretary, Emma Powerful, asked banks in the South East Region to ‘peacefully’ bring down Nigerian flags in their premises, or IPOB members will be forced to bring down the flags themselves.
According to Powerful, the proscribed group is taking these actions in solidarity with Ambazonia, a secessionist group in Cameroon, whose purported independence anniversary is on October 1.
The statement in part read “IPOB has declared 1st of October 2021 total shutdown in Biafra land as a sign of our rejection of the construct called Nigeria and there shall be no movement in Biafra land on this day. IPOB leadership will communicate to Banks directly and give them reasons they must peacefully bring down the Nigerian flag in their banking premises before we do it ourselves in our own way. Everybody must strictly adhere to these directives from IPOB leadership, we want to let the world know that Biafraland is not Nigeria and shall not be. We advise Biafrans to stand with the Ambazonia people as they celebrate their God-given freedom and independence.”