Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has ordered the suspension of the ‘Every Monday’ sit-at-home order by the group in the South-East.
The group’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, disclosed this in a statement made available to our correspondent in Awka, the Anambra State capital.
He said, “The suspension of the Sit-At-Home by the IPOB Head of Directorate was as a result of an order from the leader of this great movement, Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. In accordance with the directive from our leader, our Sit-At-Home will, in the meantime, be observed on the date of our leader’s court appearances.
Kanu is currently in detention for offences bordering on treasonable felony.
According to the group, the weekly sit-at-home protest, which commenced on August 9, is meant to prevail on the Federal Government to release him.
The group’s statement reads in part, “The leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra understand the concern being expressed by the global IPOB family on the suspension of the weekly Sit-At-Home earlier announced by the IPOB Head of Directorate of State of the Indigenous people of Biafra. We know that our people embraced this civil action wholeheartedly and without any compulsion. The leadership sincerely appreciate the innate desire of Biafrans to sacrifice their time, resources and energy in ensuring that our leader Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is released unconditionally from the illegal custody of the Nigerian State who criminally renditioned him from Kenya to Nigeria. There is no gainsaying the fact that one of the major fundamental guiding principles of IPOB is Command and Control. This simply means that all commands from the Supreme leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) will be obeyed and implemented to the latter by the Directorate of State of the Indigenous people of Biafra. Bearing in mind therefore that this principle has enabled this movement to surpass even the expectations of both Biafrans and Non-Biafrans alike, the leadership wish to encourage Biafran to focus on the most pressing issue confronting this great family presently which is ensuring the safety of our leader while still in the illegal custody of the DSS and to secure his unconditional release from detention. The IPOB leadership urges Biafrans worldwide to take note of our leader’s next court appearance, which is the 21st of October 2021. If however, we have any reason or directive from the IPOB highest command that require us to reactivate the suspended Weekly Sit-At-Home, the leadership will not hesitate to lift the suspension and continue with our civil action. The leadership once more appreciate all Biafrans and our friends and sympathizers who faithfully observed the Monday, August 9 Sit-At-Home which was a huge success throughout Biafra land. May God continue to bless and uphold all those committed to our struggle. We consider Biafra restoration as a sacrosanct call to duty above all else. Any other information regarding Sit-At-Home in Biafraland not emanating from IPOB through our main channels of information dissemination should be disregarded. The Nigeria Government should heed now to the voice of reason coming from within Nigeria and from outside the shores of Nigeria to unconditionally free our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and announce a date for Biafra referendum or plebiscite where our people will choose where they wish to be long before it is too late.”