The Indigenous Folks of Biafra has requested South-East residents to disregard any declaration of sit-at-home on October 21 and 22, insisting that the order didn’t emanate from the group.
A video and voice notes have been circulating on social media for over two weeks, warning residents of the South-East to stay indoors on October 21 and 22, saying that these days have been declared sit-at-home.
The voice observe additionally threatened to cope with anybody who fails to adjust to the directive saying it stays sacrosanct.
This growth has generated panic and chaos, notably in Anambra as some official and non-official engagements fastened for these days have been rescheduled.
For example, our correspondent gathered that instances arising on the regulation courts on these days have been rescheduled for one more day whereas faculty actions have been additionally referred to as off.
When requested, one of many courtroom clerks on the Excessive Courtroom in Onitsha(identify withheld), merely instructed our correspondent, “We heard they’ve declared October 21 and 22 as a sit-at-home and that necessitated the rescheduling of each engagement on these days. It was rescheduled since final week.
“The rationale for the rescheduling of the instances arising on these days is to keep away from a scenario the place hoodlums will hijack the car which may be conveying suspects to the courtroom from the prisons.”
Our correspondent additionally noticed that, aside from the official engagement, there was panic shopping for in main markets throughout the cities as clients have been seen participating in last-minute transactions to keep away from being stranded.
A discover notifying mother and father and college students concerning the postponement of actions was additionally displayed in one of many colleges visited in Onitsha, on Sunday.
The discover learn, “Announcement: Good night Pricey Mother and father and guardians. Based mostly on the circulating threats from IPOB, be notified that there shall be no faculty on Monday and Tuesday, twenty first and twenty second October 2024. That is strictly for safety causes. In essence, it’s a precautionary measure.
“Mid-term Break begins on Wednesday, twenty third October, 2024. Subsequently, college students are anticipated to renew faculty on Monday, twenty eighth October, 2024. Thanks and Stay Blessed. Signed: Administration.”
However whereas reacting to the event, the pro-Biafran group urged the folks to go about their regular enterprise, saying the “unlawful” sit-at-home declaration order didn’t emanate from IPOB, however reasonably from legal components and infiltrators, who will not be members of IPOB.
In a phone interview with our correspondent on Sunday, IPOB’s spokesman, Emma Highly effective, mentioned, “IPOB didn’t declare any sit-at-home order on October 21 and 22. The unlawful order is from legal components and Finland-based infiltrators who will not be our members.
“We urged our folks to disregard the order and go about their regular enterprise on these days. IPOB doesn’t wish to speak about it as a result of we don’t wish to create panic over the matter.
“Biafrans should perceive that IPOB doesn’t declare pointless sit-at-home. We’ve got since suspended it and anyone declaring it’s a legal aspect that must be ignored.
“We didn’t wish to speak about it once more as a way to keep away from giving undue recognition to the inconsequential order from Finland-based infiltrators.”