IPOB Declares Total Lockdown In Southeast Ahead Of President’s Visit

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has declared a sit-at-home across the South East on Tuesday.

IPOB tagged the sit-at-home, a day of civil action across the region.

The group declared the order ahead of the Appeal Court hearing of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, and President Muhammadu Buhari’s planned visit to the southeast.

A statement by IPOB’s spokesman, Emma Powerful, said the sit-at-home would be a total lockdown of the southeast.

IPOB explained that it was implementing the existing sit-at-home order regarding Kanu’s court appearance.

The statement reads in part: “The global family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the command and leadership of our leader Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu Kanu, wish to announce to the general public, especially Biafrans that Tuesday 13th of September has been declared a day of civil action in the form of sit-at-home in Biafra land.

“The Tuesday 13th September, 2022 civil action is very important for two reasons:

“First, our leader’s Appeal court hearing that was supposed to be on October 11th has been brought forward to 13th September, 2022. As usual we call on Biafrans and lovers of freedom to demonstrate our solidarity with our leader who has been bearing our yoke in detention for over a year now.

“There shall be a total lockdown of the whole of Biafraland on Tuesday the 13th of September 2022. The Imposter Buhari cannot be coming to Imo State while he continues to detain our leader Mazi Nnamdi in the DSS custody.”

The separatist group urged people of the Southeast to go about their Monday’s activities and prepare for Tuesday’s lockdown completely.”

The IPOB leader also reiterated its call for the unconditional release of its leader.

Meanwhile, the Imo State Government has dismissed the threat issued by IPOB ahead of the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to the state on Tuesday.

Speaking at a press conference in Owerri on Saturday, the state’s commissioner for information and strategy, Declan Emelumba said that IPOB couldn’t threaten the president.

Emelumba, who was reacting to a threat issued by IPOB declaring a sit-at-home in the state on Tuesday, insisted that security operatives were ready for the president’s visit to Imo.

Nobody can threaten Buhari. He’s president and commander-in-chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Imo is one of the states he governs and he is free to visit it. Security is in top gear and I can assure you that his visit will be successful,” Emelumba said.

Buhari is expected to inaugurate three signature projects built by the Governor Hope Uzodinma administration on Tuesday.