Compliance with sit-at-home order in Igboland should worry Buhari Government -Ohanaeze

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has said easterners’ compliance with the sit-at-home order issued by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) sends a clear message to Nigeria.

The Remembrance Day was observed in the five Southeastern states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo on Monday.

Streets in Southeast Nigeria, according to reports, were deserted as the region commemorated the death of over one million people who died in the Biafra war about 50 years ago.

Marketplaces and roads were empty in the major cities of Aba, Owerri and Awka, in a renewed push by the separatist Indigenous People of Biafra to remember the war victims and heroes with a strict order for people to remain indoors on the said date.

speaking on the issue, the group in a statement by its Secretary-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, said the level of success recorded in the May 31 sit-at-home order shows Igbo unity and respect for the fallen heroes.

He stated that the development ought to be a source of worry to constituted authorities at all levels as Igbos have sent a clear message.

Isiguzoro further called on Southeast Governors to seek to the release of all Biafra agitators arrested and imprisoned over agitations.

The statement read, ”Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide applauds Ndigbo for the new exhibition of ‘Igbo unity, obedience to an emerging new leadership in southeastern Nigeria and respect for the fallen heroes, this development should be a source of worry to constituted authorities at all levels, and finally, Igbos had sent a clear message to Nigeria.

”Southeast Governors should cooperate with the people with the release of all Biafra agitators incarcerated in all the prisons and June 12 Democracy Day is the open window for State Pardons and amnesty.

”We call on Governor Willie Obiano to do the same, as history will be fair to him as a gentleman, for his instantaneous action through the immediate release of agitators in Anambra prisons, it will help to calm down the uprising against southeastern Nigeria.

”It’s the finest period for Federal Government to halt the drift towards anarchy and dialogue with agitators across the Middle Belt and Southern Nigeria. The level of insecurity across the country, especially in Southeastern Nigeria should spur Federal Government to convoke a national dialogue without further delay.

”The full compliance of the sit-at-the home is a clue as to what Ndigbo will further do if certain anomalies are not corrected by the government at all levels, ‘the most important thing is that Igbos are unique to know their leaders and hypocrites.”