Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has formally ordered an end to the sit-at-home protests being observed on Mondays in the South East region of Nigeria. The sit-at-home protests began in 2021 following Kanu’s detention by the Department of State Services (DSS). Although IPOB had cancelled the order, a faction led by Simon Ekpa continued to call for sit-at-home actions on Mondays and other days, which saw significant compliance among the locals.
In a world press conference held in Enugu, Kanu’s special counsel, Barr Aloy Ejimakor, addressed the media on Kanu’s behalf and announced the end of the sit-at-home order. Kanu explained that he founded IPOB to protect the interests of the Igbo people and oppressed minorities in the East, but the continued sit-at-home actions were causing harm to the region’s economy.
Kanu also issued a warning to Simon Ekpa, instructing him to stop countering his orders and denigrating Igbo leaders and Ohanaeze Ndigbo. He emphasized that he did not authorize any person or group to enforce sit-at-home actions and that those doing so were not acting on his behalf.
The main issue Kanu wanted his supporters to address was the delays in the Supreme Court’s hearing of the government’s appeal, which is unrelated to sit-at-home actions. He stressed that the sit-at-home protests were a waste of time, resources, and energy.
Kanu also explained the genesis of the sit-at-home protests, stating that the original order for people to stay at home was against his direct instructions. He pointed out that the disobedience of his instructions led to opportunistic individuals causing harm to the people during the sit-at-home actions.
He wrote, ““Simon (Ekpa), this is a direct order from me. I hereby instruct you to desist from calling for any Sit-at-Home henceforth. Equally refrain from antagonizing Governors or persons in political positions because you are not in a position to know what they are doing on my behalf. I am ordering you to make a public announcement to the effect that you are in receipt of a direct order from me to cancel any pending Sit-at-Home in place at the moment.
“I embarked on this movement to liberate our people not to enslave them. I despise and will despise any person or entity that wishes to inflict unnecessary hardship on our people. I have authorized Aloy to issue a press statement if you fail to make this announcement on your platform.
“Anybody still engaging in Sit-at-Home is not my disciple. Haters of Biafra and mindless murderers in uniform are hiding under the cover of combating enforcers of Sit-at-Home to unleash mayhem against the same people we swore to defend.
“I have sent countless messages to those purportedly enforcing Sit-at-Home that they are not doing so in my name. I am not begging anybody to release me just that Nigeria should have the decency to obey their own laws.
“The main issue which our people should address their minds to is the unconscionable delays in hearing he govt appeal at the Supreme Court, which is a situation not amenable to any Sit-at-Home. Therefore Sit-at-Home is a waste of time, resources and energy.
“Those who may not understand the genesis of the Sit-at-Home should refer to my younger brother’s press statement on the eve of the commencement of the original order issued by the IPOB family. My brother made it clear to the DOS that I was against the order for people to stay at home under whatever guise. This caused a rift between my siblings and DOS till date.
“I want our people to know how this whole sit-at-home brouhaha started. Had DOS obeyed my direct instructions to cancel the first Monday sit-at-home, opportunistic scavengers would not have jumped on the bandwagon to wreak havoc on our people I want our people to know how this whole Sit-at-Home brouhaha started. Had DOS obeyed my direct instructions to cancel the first Monday Sit-at-Home, opportunistic scavengers would not have jumped on the bandwagon to wreak havoc on our people.”
“You(Aloy) must release the press statement tomorrow with the screenshot of the handwritten note I gave to you unfailingly.
