Sit-at-home: Security Agencies Patrol Umuahia, As IPOB Talks Tough
Ahead of Thursday’s sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and other pro-Biafra groups, security operatives have, in the past one week, been engaged in Operation Show-of-Force with a combined force of Military, Naval and Police personnel patrolling the major streets of Umuahia and environs.
It is believed that Umuahia is the headquarters of IPOB, being the native home of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
There have also been warnings from Police authorities to the group to desist from making such calls for sit-at-home as it had no rights to do so.
However, IPOB, in a statement by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, insisted on going ahead with the sit-at-home programme, saying “the Army, Police and their collaborators within and without, lie, misinform, arrest, torture and clamp people into illegal detention.
A corrupt and complicit judiciary only serves to strengthen our resolve to restore Biafra and not diminish it.
“Biafraland is under siege, with hundreds kidnapped on a daily basis by an army that capitulated in front of Boko Haram and are actively supporting the ethnocentric campaign of genocide against the Middle Belt.
“We have resolved to make every sacrifice needed to ensure Biafra is liberated. Therefore, we are prepared for this wave of onslaught against IPOB.
“But we are consoled by the fact that the whole world is taking stock of what IPOB is being forced to endure because a time will come when the hunter will become the hunted.
“Biafra Remembrance Day celebration is on Thursday, May 30 (today) and Biafrans must not come out on that day. It will serve as a reminder to the overlords that we, Biafrans are united in our quest to be free from the iniquitous bondage called Nigeria.
“IPOB is a disciplined movement that cannot abdicate its obligation to the dead.
“No matter how many troops they deploy on our streets or how many people they kill or arrest, Biafraland will be locked down on that fateful day.
“It is better for the Police and other security agencies to stay indoors and respect that day or the spirit of those that died in the quest for Biafra will destroy them.
“May 30 is a holy day and Biafraland will be on lockdown to honour those starved to death: children and the fallen heroes and heroines who died during the Nigeria-Biafra Civil War of 1967 to 1970.
In the same vein, the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, yesterday, insisted that the sit-at-home order today cannot be stopped by the security agencies.
The leader of MASSOB, Uchenna Madu, spoke in Owerri, adding that the day was set aside to honour Biafra fallen heroes. According to Madu, in the process of the sit-at-home, they would observe a non-violent procedure. He said: “The leadership of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, has insisted and vowed that tomorrow’s (today) Biafra Day anniversary celebration must hold irrespective of the threats by security agents. “No amount of intimidating patrols and show of force will ever deter MASSOB and other pro-Biafra groups from honouring our heroes and friends of Biafra tomorrow (today).
“MASSOB wishes to assure the people of Biafra that there will be no public processions, rally or forceful enforcement on the citizens to adhere or obey our directives involuntarily.” On the strategies adopted for the sit-at-home order, he said: “As we preach non-violence, we shall maintain the principal of non-violence in all of our approach towards Biafra’s actualisation and restoration.
“As May 30 anniversary celebration is sacrosanct, MASSOB acknowledges the conscious awareness and synergies among the pro-Biafra groups and other organisations in Biafraland towards the preparations and enthusiastic spirit in readiness for the celebration of Biafra declaration anniversary.”
