Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has ordered an end to the sit-at-home protest in the South-East, including the Monday sit-at-home and any other sit-at-home in the region.
This was announced in a press statement on Friday, July 28, 2023, by Aloy Ejimakor, Special Counsel to Nnamdi Kanu and Ipob.
Mazi Kanu, who stated that he “was against the order for people to stay at home under whatever guise”, had issued directives contained in a self-handwritten letter addressed to Simon Ekpa, the self-acclaimed human rights activist and spokesperson for the Proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), ordering him to announce an end to the sit-at-home protest in the region.
According to the press statement, ‘the public announcement bears (as shall be reproduced below) the unedited verbatim instructions containing a direct order personally issued by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in his own handwriting on 24th July, 2023 through me to Mazi Simon Ekpa, instructing him to ‘desist from calling for any sit-at-home henceforth’ and ‘to make a public a public announcement to the effect that he (Mazi Simon Ekpa) is in receipt of a direct order from him (Mazi Nnamdi Kanu) to cancel any pending sit-at-home in place at the moment’; and also that he (Mazi Nnamdi Kanu) has, by he same order, ‘authorized me to issue a press statement if he (Mazi Simon Ekpa) fails to make this announcement on his platform”.
His letter to Ekpa reads, “Simon, this is a direct order from me. I hereby instruct you to desist from calling any sit-at-homes henceforth.
“Equally refrain from antagonizing governors or persons in political positions because you are not in a position to know what they are doing on my behalf.
“I am ordering you to make a public announcement to the effect that you are in receipt of a direct order from me to cancel any pending or future sit-at-home in place at the moment.
“I embarked on this movement to liberate our people, not to enslave them. I despise and will despise any person or entity that wishes to inflict unnecessary hardship on our people.
“I have authorized Aloy to issue a press statement if you fail to make this announcement on your platform”.
Kanu, who distanced himself from any form of sit-at-home in the region, stated that “anybody still engaging in sit-at-home is not my disciple”. He further stated that “haters of Biafra and mindless murderers in uniform are hiding under the cover of combating enforcers of sit-at-home to unleash mayhem against the same people we swore to defend”.
The IPOB leader also stated that he “has sent countless messages to those purportedly enforcing sit-at-home that they are not doing so in my name”.
