Peter Obi condemns killings in Nigeria, exonerates IPOB from sit-at-home order

Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of Labour Party and leader of the Obi-dients movement, has condemned the killings of innocent Nigerians by criminals.

Obi, who is also the former Governor of Anambra State, laid emphasis on the killings in North Central and the continued disruption of business and social activities in the South East.

Obi particularly condemned the criminal activities ongoing in the South East after he was heavily criticized and accused of keeping mum during the sit-at-home order issued by ‘IPOB’s prime minister’ Simon Ekpa.

Reacting to the sit-at-home order on Thursday, Obi exonerated IPOB.

Part of his statement read:

“Also disturbing is the continued disruption of business and social activities in the South East region over the Sit-at-Home directive purported to be coming from the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, when the body has publicly denied issuing such directive. What is going on in the South East therefore is essentially a criminal activity that must be nipped in the bud, with all hands being on deck, security agencies, and the people alike.

The South East Governors are to be commended for their renewed efforts at curbing this menace but there is a need to be more strategic and intelligence-driven in our approach to reducing the suffering of innocent people.”

The former Anambra governor played down reports that the sit-at-home order was issued by IPOB as mere allegations.

According to him, IPOB has denied the reports.

Obi, however, urged security agencies to rise up and take necessary and quick steps to arrest the ugly incidents.
Source: PM News

Sit-at-home: S-East govts vow to deal with Simon Ekpa, others

Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi and Imo State governments yesterday, vowed not to yield to the antics of non-state actors disrupting governance in the southeast  geo-political zone.

Their reactions followed the threat by the factional leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Simon Ekpa, to impose a two-week sit-at-home in the Southeast, commencing from July 31st to August 14th.

Simon Ekpa’s had on Tuesday declared the sit-at-home will   take place in the following order: Monday, July 31, 2023 to Friday, August 4, 2023, there will be a total lockdown in Biafraland;

“Saturday, August 5, 2023 and Sunday, August 6, 2023, all Biafran markets will open respectively.

“Monday, August 7, 2023 to Friday, August 11, 2023, there will be total lockdown in Biafraland; Saturday, August 12,  2023 and Sunday, August 13,  2023 (Break), all Biafran markets will open; Monday, August 14, 2023, there will be lockdown in Biafraland.

“We hereby call on all market leaders to strictly adhere to this order and treat it with utmost seriousness.”

No place for non-state actors in Anambra

But responding yesterday, the Anambra government said it will never yield to non-state actors.

The state government, through the press secretary to Governor Chukwuma Soludo, Christian Aburime, said Ekpa was a fugitive who should be completely ignored.

Aburime said: “Anambra State under the leadership of Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo will never yield to non-state actors on this illegal sit-at-home order.

“Simon Ekpa is a fugitive and rabble-rouser who should be completely ignored by the citizens of Anambra and by extension, the entire South East.

“The imposition of  sit-at-home orders by unauthorized individuals or groups is a clear violation of the law and Anambra State will never observe any sit-at-home order by a Simon Ekpa.

“Our markets, schools, businesses, and other social activities will remain open. Anambra State will never be a breeding  ground for anarchy, fear, or lawlessness.”

Nobody’ll obey him —Enugu govt

Also reacting, an official of  Enugu State government who described Simon Ekpa as a villain, a criminal, said nobody will obey him in the state, insisting that the illegal sit-at-home has ended in Enugu.

The official, who did not want his name in print as he was not one of the spokesmen, however, warned any of Ekpa’s criminal foot soldiers who might want to test the government to have a rethink as they may not live to tell  the story.

“We have ended illegal sit-at-home here in Enugu. That criminal should look for something else to do. He is not working in the interest of Nnamdi Kanu or IPoB. IPoB has denied him several times.

“Please, people should call him what he is, a terrorist, a criminal. He should not be linked with IPoB, he is just a criminal.

“Security operatives will teach any of his co-criminals who may want to test the will of the Government. They have been warned”, he said.
Source: Vanguard