Umuahia Residents Ignore Sit-At -Home Directed By Simon Ekpa

Residents of Umuahia, the Abia State Capital, on Friday ignored the proposed five days sit -at- home order issued by self acclaimed Mazi Nnamdi Kanu disciple, Simon Ekpa.

Ekpa, a disciple of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), was in last July announced as the lead broadcaster on Radio Biafra. He was later removed, but he never heeded to his sack.

Ekpa, in a video broadcast, called for the sit-at-home ‘in preparation to stop election from taking place in Biafra-Land’.

But when THE WHISTLER went round the city on Friday, people went about their normal businesses without fear of intimidation.

At the popular Isigate Market, traders were seen in their shops doing business as customers came out in numbers to buy one or two things as the Christmas approaches.

Mr Chinoso, a boutique owner, said there was no how he was going to observe the sit at home today as IPOB had already made it clear that they should ignore the directive from Simon Ekpa.

“I listen to radio Biafra almost everytime so i was already aware that today is not a sit at home.

“The only sit at home that am aware of and always observe is that of Mondays sit at home which is in solidarity with Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is still in the DSS custody despite different court order to released him”.

Another trader who identified himself as China said this is their season and “someone can not just be in his house at Abroad and be ordering them here and there.

“Am a businessman and you know this is our season, this is only time we experience market rush in our business, people will always try to patronize us this period.

“Nigeria is hard now so i can’t be sitting at home when i have a lot of responsibilities to take care of”.

Banks also opened for business as customers were seen trooping in and out of the banks.

A bank customer in one of the new-generation banks expressed delight that the sit-at-home did not hold as she needed to apply for a new ATM today.

“Like as you can see i just got a new ATM today, i was just scared that bank was not going to open for business today but thank God for everything,” he said.

Government offices like Umuahia North Local Government and Enugu Electricity Distribution Company located on Bende Road all opened for business.

Recall that IPOB had in a statement ordered its members and residents of the South-East region to ignore the 5-day sit-at-home exercise called by Ekpa.

IPOB said it did not issue any sit-at-home while reacting to Ekpa’s earlier directive that people should boycott social and commercial activities from 9 to 14 of December.

Reacting to the call, a statement by IPOB spokesperson, Emma Powerful, on Tuesday, said, “The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the leadership of Nnamdi Kanu wish to state unequivocally to the people of Biafra, friends of Biafra, and lovers of Biafra freedom that IPOB leadership did not issue any sit-at-home order on 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th or 14th of December 2022.

“IPOB never issued any sit-at-home order on these days mentioned above because we are not miscreants, senseless, or jobless people.

“Every Biafran and residents in Biafra Land should ignore such order from untrained and brainless individuals whose agenda is to make Biafra agitation unattractive to our people. Every Biafran must go to their normal business on those days.”

“IPOB who is concerned about our people cannot issue such brainless uncaring 5-day consecutive sit-at-home order to suffer our people during this critical time of the year when people are trying to make up in their businesses for the year.

“Their agenda is to create insecurity and unnecessary hardships to make our people jettison Biafra’s freedom. How wicked!”

IPOB also urged people that are interested in getting Permanent Voters Card (PVC) to do so as it is their right, reiterating its position that the group is not interested in elections.

“Again, everyone has his or her right to go and collect his or her PVC from their polling and registration centres without molestations. IPOB never boycott elections and has nothing to do with Nigerian elections.

“Our people should be prepared and ready to confront any fool who dares to enforce such wicked sit-at-home. Moreso, ESN operatives and IPOB volunteers will be out on these dates to protect our people and the markets.”