…Middle belt backs IPOB sit-at-home order
By Peter Okutu, Ugochukwu Alaribe & Chinonso Alozie
The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has said that there is no going back on the sit at home order it had declared to hold today , October 1, 2020.
There has been panic buying in Aba as some residents said they will comply with the order to sit at home to identify with IPOB’s agitation for Biafra and also mourn victims of terrorism.
Media and Publicity Secretary, IPOB, Mr. Emma Powerful, in a statement, warned the Nigerian soldiers and policemen including other security agencies to steer clear from the Biafra project.
In his words: “Our decision to ensure that 1st of October 2020 sit-at-home is successful is something nobody can stop. Nigeria police and those claiming to be fighting for Biafra freedom but stand against the coming of Biafra are inconsequential because they cannot afford to stop us.
IPOB is working very hard for the speedy and successful coming of Biafra. There is nothing Nigeria security can do to stop us.”
He urged other ethnic nationalities in Nigeria who wish to change their lives to demand for freedom.
“Our people must be strong to encourage all other ethnic nationalities in Nigeria who wish to change their lives by demanding freedom. Freedom for all oppressed people is what IPOB is all about.”
We’ll always identify with any peaceful act devoid of violence — Ohanaeze
Also yesterday, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze, stated that the organization would always identify with any peaceful act devoid of violence from any quarter including the IPOB.
In a statement issued in Abakaliki by the National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze, Barr. Uche Achi-Okpaga, the group made it clear that IPOB was not under its sponsorship in any ramification as it has no stake in their sit-at-home call.
The statement read: “Ohanaeze is not a sponsor of IPOB in any ramification and has no stake in their call for sit-at-home. IPOB is an independent body with it’s own organisational structure. It does not confer with Ohanaeze in its activities.
“So, the call for sit-at-home by the IPOB is not in concert with Ohanaeze. However, we are not oblivious that the call on its members to sit-at-home is not an unlawful act as that does not encroach on other people’s rights neither is it a violent one.
“Ohanaeze is only interested in dialogue and peaceful coexistence. So, if the way the IPOB chose to act is to call on her members to observe a sit-at-home order, Ohanaeze is not perturbed and that does not in anyway depict that we sponsor them.
“At any rate, it is better for a group to call for a non violent sit-at-home order than the ones carrying weapons of mass destruction and ambushing commoners, private persons, governors and even top military and paramilitary officers, killing Nigerians in their tens and hundreds without attracting the tag of terrorists here in Nigeria.
“Please, quote Ohanaeze rightly that we would always identify with any peaceful act devoid of violence from any quarter including the IPOB. That does not mean that we sponsor or are in concert with them.
“We in Ohanaeze together with the Afenifere, PANDEF and Middle Belt Forum have been unwavering in our stand on restructuring of Nigeria. IPOB has it’s own agenda of self determination and our interest is that every group remain peaceful as they have done in this particular case.”
Middle belt backs IPOB sit-at-home order
Meantime, members of the Southern Nigeria, Middle Belt and Northern Minorities Forum ,SONAIMBF, a socio-cultural body yesterday said they were in support of the sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.
SONAIMBF leader, Sidney Imobhio spoke in a statement he issued in Owerri. Imobhio said that they decided to support the sit-at-home order of IPOB because Nigerian government has failed to address the grievances of the ethnic nationalities in the country.
The group’s leader said among other things that it was a decision they took after their meeting titled: “People in Diaspora Igbo,Yoruba And Middle Belt For Their Actions Against October 1” issued shortly after their meeting held in New York USA on Tuesday.
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“We resolved that Nigeria should remain an indivisible and indissoluble country. However, we also agreed that the clarion calls and opiñions of all nationalities must be addressed without further delay to enhance and stabilize the unity and oneness of all shades.
“As of now, Nigeria exists only on the pages of newspapers which portends that their co-existence must be renegotiated and defined by all the component nationalities.
“We support the Igbo for the sit-at-home call on October 1 independence celebration. We support the Yoruba and their plans to embark on a worldwide march on October 1 to dis-associate, disregard, disagree and disobey the rules and tenets of this failed regime.”
They continued: “We support the break away of Middle Belt from the spell of the imaginary and illusionary Northern Nigeria Forum. We cherish their realization and the humility exhibited by settling with our Igbo brothers.
“We passionately appeal to all well-meaning people of South South to sit at home on October 1 and question the rationale behind the celebration. Is it the raping, killings, armed robberies, kidnapping and banditry by both the Miyetti Allah and Fulani herdsmen that we are celebrating?
“In order to achieve our goal, we must come together to fight for our rights. This must be done early to avoid the divide and rule syndrome that may present itself in just few months away in 2021 when people would have started to nurse presidential ambition.”
They also advised their members to “forget personal ambition for now and do the needful first to save Nigeria as a true country. Let us speak with one voice and allow a leader to emerge this time rather than allow a Fulani to again dip hands into our mix to choose a moron as our leader for us,” they advised.
“This is the time for them to cooperate with the masses to enable them take over the control of their destiny. We must reactivate the good name of Nigeria.”
