The proscribed terror group, IPOB, has announced its decision to enforce another two-week ‘sit at home’ exercise across the southeast in continuation of its protest of the arrest and detention of Nnamdi Kanu.
The planned action was announced by Finland-based Simon Ekpa through a statement published on his official Twitter page. According to the statement, the movement and trade restriction will commence on Monday, July 31, through Monday, August 14.
During this period, residents are to remain indoors while businesses operating in the region are expected to close shop, except on weekends. Ekpa threatened ‘consequences’ for non-compliance. The region is still reeling from the indiscriminate killings and other acts of violence staged by IPOB in the past seven days as it completes a one-week mandated ‘sit at home’ protest.
In response, residents and other indigenes of the region have criticized Ekpa’s actions as criminal, authoritarian and economically damaging. They lament the collapse of trade and other economic activities in the region as residents live in fear and investors flee in drove.
Yesterday, governors of the five states of the region met in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, to find a lasting solution to the challenge. Their choice of the FCT as the venue of the meeting raised fresh concerns over the state of affairs in the region, as it indicates that even governors, who enjoy maximum police protection, are possibly wary of a confrontation with the terrorist group.
Meanwhile, as political actors and residents of the region scramble for a solution, Peter Obi of the Labour Party has remained silent and has not participated in any such effort. Instead, the former Anambra governor has spent his time since the election attending social events outside the eastern region while also issuing perfunctory congratulatory and condolence messages to select Nigerians.