Sit-at-home order in S’East a criminal activity, must be stopped, Peter Obi laments

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, on Thursday, condemned the current sit-at-home order being observed in the South-East.

However, Obi exonerated the Indigenous People of Biafra, noting that the secessionist movement has denied issuing such directives.

The former Anambra Governor made this call on a Twitter thread, in the aftermath of a renewed order by Simon Ekpa, a self-styled disciple of Nnamdi Kanu.

Ekpa, on Tuesday, once more ordered a two-week sit-at-home ban in the South East.

Simon Ekpa, who issued the previous week’s sit-at-home order, listed five justifications for South Easterners’ compliance with the directive.

He emphasised that the IPOB leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s immediate and unconditional release was sacred and that the purpose of the sit-at-home order was to aid in the liberation of the Biafra country.

In order to quell the unrest, the Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, ordered troops to seize control of areas where the Indigenous People of Biafra enforce their sit-at-home order throughout the South-East states.

The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement, declared that such an announcement was unlawful and would not be condoned.

He said the troops of the 82 Division had been given an order to work with other security agencies to ensure citizens go about their businesses freely.

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Onyema said, “The renewed threat by IPOB to compel the people in southeastern Nigeria to sit at home is not only appalling but a violation of the fundamental rights of southeastern Nigerians and, therefore, unlawful. This will never be condoned.”

Responding to this situation, Peter Obi tweeted, “Also disturbing is the continued disruption of business and social activities in the South East region over the Sit-at-Home directive purported to be coming from the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, when the body has publicly denied issuing such directive.

“What is going on in the South East therefore is essentially a criminal activity that must be nipped in the bud, with all hands being on deck, security agencies, and the people alike.”

He further noted that, “The South East Governors are to be commended for their renewed efforts at curbing this menace but there is a need to be more strategic and intelligence-driven in our approach to reducing the suffering of innocent people.

“Security agencies should take necessary and quick steps to arrest the ugly incidents because the country cannot just be spilling the blood of innocent citizens.

“We as a people through our various governments should up our value for human lives in the way and manner we respond to issues that touch lives. The implications of an insecure environment for development are far-reaching because no investor will consider going to an area where their resources will not be safe and secured.”

The rising insecurity in the country leading to mindless bloodletting, particularly in the North Central zone of the country, and the continued disruption of business and social activities in the South East are all becoming very worrisome.

— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) July 13, 2023

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