Biafra: IPOB Announces New Date For Sit-At-Home Order

The Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) has announced a new date for its proposed sit-at-home order.

Previously, the proscribed group had fixed Sunday, May 30 in commemoration of Biafra Day, but it has now shifted the date to Monday, May 31.

The shift in date was confirmed in a press statement by the IPOB media and publicity secretary, Emma Powerful who explained that the shift in date was to allow Christians go to church.

He added that the Biafra day will be observed partially on Sunday but the total lockdown will be carried out the next day which is Monday.

The statement urged all residents to comply with the order and stay indoors from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm in honour of all those who have died in the course of the struggle for an independent Biafra nation.

It said there should also be no commercial activity, social gathering, market, or vehicular movement within that period.

The full statement reads: “We, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by our great and indomitable leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, wish to announce that this year’s Biafra Remembrance Day sit-at-home will now hold on Monday, May 31, and not Sunday, May 30 as earlier directed.

The modification is following genuine observations about our earlier directive as many of our people observe Sundays as a day of worship.

“There will be the partial observation of the Biafra Day on May 30th. But there will be a total lockdown and sit-at-home on Monday 31st of May.

” We, therefore, expect Biafrans all over the world to stay indoors on May 31 for the respect and honour of our fallen heroes and heroines who paid the supreme price for us to live. It is our right to remember them for defending the genocidal attacks on our people between 1967 and 1970.

“Consequently, all commercial activities must be shut down on 31st of May throughout the land of Biafra. There should be no vehicular movement on that day on Biafra roads.

“Transport companies must withdraw from the road on that day. National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW); National Associations of Road Transport Owners (NURTO); and others are expected to fully comply with this directive.

“In the same vein, artisans and traders must close shop on that day. Airports, Seaports, Banks and financial institutions should all shut down in honour of our fallen heroes and heroines.

“Okada and Tricycles organizations are also advised to withdraw from roads on that day. There shall be no social gatherings or events including burials, weddings on that day from 6 am to 6 pm.

“Parents are advised not to send their children to school on that day as no one is expected to be seen outside. Full compliance is expected from all.

“Biafrans in Diaspora are to hold peaceful rallies in their countries of abode.”

Meanwhile, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has denied viral audio recordings credited to him as saying the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has been printing money since 2015 to run the government.

Reacting to the audio clip which has been trending on social media, Amaechi told members of the public on Tuesday to disregard the clip as fake.