Following a high-powered meeting of Nigerian security operatives, South-easterners have been directed to ignore the sit-at-home directive issued by IPOB. They are advised to go about their normal business, assuring them of their safety.
IPOB had earlier issued a directive, calling for a sit-at-home on the 14th of September to protest the mass killings of innocent easterners during the Operation Python Dance 2.
Issuing the directive, IPOB’s publicity secretary, Emma Powerful said “at a time when we are still burying those Operation Python Dance 2 killed and dumped in mass graves across Biafraland in September 2017, here we are today with Nigeria military once again poised to invade the South East, to slaughter the weak and innocent in their annual genocidal ritual in the name of yet another Operation Python Dance 3.”
While calling on Nigerians to ignore the sit-at-home directive, Mr. Garba Umar, Commissioner of Police for Anambra State said that IPOB had no right to issue any kind of order since it was an illegal group.
He said “IPOB is an illegal organization. We are therefore appealing to members of the public that on no account should they be intimidated or harassed into succumbing to the threat of IPOB. They plan to embark on sit-at-home on September 14, 2018, but the security agencies are ready for any eventuality.
“We urge members of the public to go about their lawful businesses as they will be adequately protected. The issue of calling for a referendum on the 8th of this month or thereabout and the September 14 sit –at- home order by IPOB will not be tolerated.”
IPOB has however vowed to go ahead with the sit-at-home protest in spite of the warnings from security operatives.