IPOB disowns enforcers of sit-at-home order, condemns shootings in Enugu

In what looks like a denial of Monday’s disturbances in Enugu State, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has asked South East governors and security operatives to penalise purported enforcers of the suspended sit-at-home order in the region.

In a statement issued yesterday, by Media and Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Emma Powerful, the group distanced itself from the shootings in Enugu State that disrupted economic activities.

The violence resulted in the burning of cars, while some residents were injured.

It insisted that those enforcing the Monday sit-at-home directive were sponsored hoodlums and cultists, restating that IPOB suspended the exercise since September last year.

“The attention of IPOB has been drawn to the shootings in Enugu on Monday by hoodlums and cultists recruited and sponsored by some politicians in the state who derive joy in spilling blood of their fellow citizens.

“We have explained severally that IPOB has not authorised anybody to enforce Monday sit-at-home, which has been suspended since September 19, 2021. Anybody unleashing terror on innocent citizens, in the guise of enforcing the sit-at-home order is a criminal and does not deserve pity.

“Despite the suspension of the directive, some unscrupulous elements and criminals conniving with security agencies and enemies of Ndigbo have continued to inflict pain on our people. Their aim is to blackmail IPOB but they will continue to fail,” the statement reads.

IPOB stressed the need for the people to stand firm and fight for their liberty, adding that it did not ask anybody to enforce sit-at-home.

It said henceforth, operatives of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) would go after the criminals unleashing mayhem on innocent people and visitors to Biafra land in the name of enforcing a non-existent sit-at-home order on Mondays.

“We also ask Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to deal decisively with any hoodlum using the sit-at-home order to torture innocent citizens and residents of the state. No genuine member of IPOB or ESN operative is involved in the enforcement of sit-at-home order. Anybody doing so is working against the restoration of Biafra Republic.

“We urge our people and members of the public to arrest anyone caught inflicting sorrow on the people in the name of enforcing non-existent Monday sit-at-home order. Such persons and messengers of death do not deserve to live.

“Those shooting sporadically in the market and parts of Enugu State are criminals and bandits using IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and ESN to humiliate our people and demonise the movement. Their aim is to give the Federal Government an excuse to hold Kanu perpetually in detention,” the statement added.