The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has discredited an audio message circulating on social media, which calls for a one-week sit-at-home in the southeast region of Nigeria from July 3 to 10. The sit-at-home order, allegedly attributed to IPOB under the hashtag #FreeNnamdiKanu, aims to pressure the Federal Government into releasing Nnamdi Kanu, who has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).
According to Mr. Emma Powerful, the media and publicity secretary of IPOB, the audio message does not originate from their group. He stated that an official press release will be issued within the next two to three days regarding the declared dates in the audio message. However, for the time being, the leadership of IPOB has instructed him not to give it attention or recognition.
Initially, IPOB had declared every Monday as a sit-at-home day in the South East, with the intention of compelling the Federal Government to release their leader, Nnamdi Kanu. However, this declaration was later canceled due to concerns about its impact on the region’s economy.
Despite the cancellation, some individuals have continued to enforce the sit-at-home order, causing many people to stay at home compulsorily every Monday, regardless of IPOB’s assurances.
A factional leader of the group, Simon Ekpa, based in Finland, has consistently supported the Monday sit-at-home exercise and even issued threats to the governors of Anambra and Enugu states, Prof Chukwuma Soludo and Mr. Peter Mbah, respectively, who had spoken out against and canceled the exercise in their respective states.