The Proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has distanced itself from the 21 and 22 October sit-at-home order, blaming the directive on those it called infiltrators and criminals working for the government to tarnish the peaceful image of the movement.
IPOB also urged residents of the South-East region to disregard the order circulating on the social media.
Residents in the South-East had in the order been warned to stay indoors, while parents and guardians were directed to keep children from school as businesses were also ordered to be closed amid threats against non-compliers.
Distancing itself from the order, the pro-Biafra group emphasised that it always makes public announcements when declaring a sit-at-home and urged the public to ignore what it described as an “obnoxious order” from criminals allegedly working to demonise IPOB.
IPOB’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, in a statement clarified that this order did not come from their organisation, maintaining that IPOB has since suspended sit-at-home orders, considering anyone declaring it a “criminal element”.
“IPOB did not order a two-day sit-at-home, and we don’t want to create panic over such inconsequential directives from infiltrators.
“We chose not to issue a press statement on an inconsequential order from these infiltrators.
“IPOB is not in the habit of threatening Ndigbo. Whenever we declare a sit-at-home, we make it public. Our people should ignore such obnoxious orders from criminals working for the government to tarnish the peaceful image of the IPOB movement,” he said.
LEADERSHIP understands that commercial activities in some parts of the South East were disrupted on Monday following the directive for residents to stay off regular activities.
