Obinna Odogwu, Abakaliki
The leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide (OYC) has dismissed the sit-at-home order issued by the leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra (ipob) slated to hold on Friday, September 14, 2018.
It distanced itself from the proposal and called on Ndigbo to ignore it.
This was even as the Ebonyi State Police Command has vowed to deal decisively with the members of the Biafra secessionist group if they dared step into any part of the state to harass lawful citizens.
The IPOB had declared September 14 as sit-at-home day in all Biafra land in protest of the invasion of the home of the leader of the pro-Biafra group at Afara Ukwu, Umuahia, Abia State, allegedly by the military.
In a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, the protest will “be a way to register our anger regarding the men and women killed at Afaraukwu in Umuahia, during Operation Python Dance II on September 14 last year.”
Powerful said the protest will also be for “those killed in Ngwa, Aba, Igweocha (Port Harcourt) and buried in unmarked mass graves as a result of unprovoked military invasion of Biafraland by the Nigerian Army.”
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The OYC led by Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, in a statement issued to newsmen in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State , by its Deputy President-General, Obinna Achuonye, alleged that some cabals in the presidency had detailed security operatives to unleash terror on unarmed Biafra agitators on that day.
The statement read partly: “The leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide disassociate ourselves from the September 14th Sit-at-home and protest initiated by IPOB to honour Igbo youths who laid their lives in the Biafra agitation and ask Ndigbo to ignore it.
“We uncovered plot by some cabals in the presidency which detailed the security agents to unleash state terror on unarmed Biafra agitators during the sit at home September 14th 2018.
“OYC insists to avert and save the lives of our Igbo Youths who shouldn’t lose their lives while remembering those who lost their lives. We therefore ask IPOB to join Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide in the prayer sessions and candle night on September 14th.
“We have also checked the economic loss and other implications the sit-at-home on Friday September 14th will bring to Ndigbo especially now parents are struggling to return their children back to schools.
“IPOB should reconsider their stand and call off the sit-at-home”, the statement added.
The new Commissioner of Police for Ebonyi State, CP Musa Kimo, while briefing newsmen in his office warned the IPOB members not to use the sit-at-home to harass and intimidate law-abiding citizens of the state.
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He said that information available him have it that the group has planned to harass the law-abiding citizens if they disobeyed their order.
“Information reaching us that the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, have concluded plans to harass, intimidate, and molest law-abiding citizens.
“I want to assure all responsible and law-abiding citizens and other people who are here to do their legitimate business; that they have nothing to fear as measures are in place to guarantee everybody’s safety. I also want to appeal to you parents and guardians to warn their wards to desist”, he said.