By Jonathan Elendu
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) sit-at-home order in the Southeast of Nigeria is in effect this Monday, August 23.
The IPOB had sworn to effect a sit-at-home in the whole of the Southeast following the arrest of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu by the Nigerian government.
The implication of the sit-at-home order is that no work, school or business happens in the whole of the South East on Mondays.
However, there were different “orders” by the different “leaders” of IPOB concerning the sit-at-home order.
Someone who claimed to be a younger brother of Nnamdi Kanu had rescinded the sit-at-home order and said it would only happen on the days Kanu is taken to court.
A counter order had come from someone claiming to be an IPOB leader rescinding the order purportedly issued by Kanu’s younger brother.
Reports from Southeast states of Enugu, Anambra, and Imo shows that there are no movement of persons and goods today, Monday, August 23.
Elendu Reports reached out to John Okiyi, Commissioner for Information, Abia State. He sent a WhatsApp message to this reporter stating: “I am in my office working. I am in Umuahia and people are moving using Keke and other means of transport.”
In the past, some of those who defied the IPOB order of stay-at-home have been beaten, maimed and even killed.
Last week, a passenger was set ablaze in a commercial vehicle by IPOB operatives. The passenger died a horrific death as the vehicle was completely burnt.
Goods in shops that were opened in defiance of the stay-at-home order have been destroyed.
Some citizens of the Southeast who spoke to Elendu Reports blamed the federal and state governments for the situation.
“How can we claim we have a government when some people will issue orders for people to stay at home. If you go out in pursuit of daily living you will be beaten, maimed or killed by miscreants and nothing will happen to them? How can any state claim have a governor? How can Buhari claim to be our president in this state of anarchy?”
A senior political figure who spoke to Elendu Reports on the condition of anonymity said, “the governors of the South East for some reason do not want to engage these boys. They’re not even reaching out to those who have some influence and can engage with these boys. From all indications, they have ceded the South East to Nnamdi Kanu and his boys.”
A political office holder who spoke to Elendu Reports on the condition of anonymity said, “the governors are not able to do anything because they believe it’s what their people want. They allowed IPOB to throw negative narratives around and the people bought into it. They believed bad-mouthing Buhari was in their interest. Now they have lost control so they pretend Monday is no longer a working day. Shame on them.”
The question on the minds of the people of the Southeast is: when will this state of uncertainty end?
This is not good at all.
You can not make thousands of people suffer because you f one man.