Fides Media Living the Faith
By Ikeugonna Eleke
Rumours of a week-long sit at home directive, starting from Monday, July 3, to Monday, July 10, purportedly given by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has been dismissed as fake.
An audio message, purported to be coming from IPOB had circulated on the social media last Tuesday, with the promoters claiming that the exercise tagged #FreeNnamdiKanu, was a move geared towards forcing the Federal Government to release its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who has been in the custody of Department of States Services (DSS).
The audio message warned of dire consequences for anyone who ventured out on the said dates.
But the media and publicity secretary of IPOB, Mr Emma Powerful, told Fides upon enquiry that the audio message was not from his group.
Powerful told this reporter that he should have known by now those who were quick to declare fake sit-at-home exercises; even as he however refused to mention the name of those responsible.
He said: ‘You must know who is behind this sit-at-home madness and the criminal who is illegally destroying our land.
‘I will issue an official press release against it in two to three days to the date declared in the audio, but for now, the leadership of IPOB has asked me not to give it attention or attraction.’
IPOB had first declared every Monday a sit-at-home day or Ghost Mondays, in the South East as a way of compelling the Federal Government to release its leader, Kanu, but later cancelled it after people complained about its adverse effects on the economy of the region.
However, since its cancelation, some hoodlums have continued to enforce it, making many to compulsorily sit at home every Monday, despite IPOB’s assurances.
A factional leader of the group, Simon Ekpa, who is based in Finland, has continually supported the Monday exercise and even threatened governors of Anambra and Enugu, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, and Mr Peter Mbah, respectively, who had spoken and cancelled the exercise in their states.