IPOB sit-at-home: Govt., police step up efforts to avert incidents
[From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia]
As the sit-at-home called by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is set to commence on Monday, August 9, Abia State government and the State Police Command have stepped up diplomatic efforts geared at averting any security situation and other adverse effects that may arise from the proposed protest.
IPOB had called for sit-at-home protest in the South East every Monday to demonstrate support for its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who is standing trial at a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Kanu who escaped to London after Nigerian soldiers invaded his Isiama Afara home on September 14, 2017, was recently abducted in Kenya and brought back to Nigeria to face his ongoing treasonable felony.
He is currently being detained at the Department of State Security Service facility in Abuja.
IPOB has called on Ndigbo in the South East to observe a sit-at-home every Monday till Kanu’s trial comes to an end as a sign of solidarity with the freedom fighter.
However being apprehensive that the said measure may pose a security situation, the Abia State government and the state Police Command have promised to work together to provide adequate security for the citizenry.
They have also warned IPOB against molesting anyone who does not want to observe the sit-at-home call.
The Police, on its part, called a stakeholders meeting Thursday to assure of the preparedness of personnel of the Command to show massive presence on the streets on Monday, to protect citizens who may want to go about their lawful businesses that day.
Abia State Commissioner of Police, Janet Agbade, who met with traditional, religious and youth leaders, as well as leaders of organised labour, urged the public not to be afraid in coming out on Monday.
Agbade charged the tradional rulers, religious, youth and labour leaders to go back to their bases and sensitize their subjects, followers and members respectively, on the need to to go about their lawful engagements on Monday without fear od molestation or attack.
Meanwhile, Abia state government has assured that it was actively monitoring the trial Kanu with a view to ensuring that his fundamental human rights, as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic, are respected.
Commissioner for Information, Chief John Kalu, who disclosed this in a statement he issued in Umuahia and made available to newsmen, added that government were in touch with his family members, other relevant persons and institutions, just as it receives regular updates through them on the situation.
He said government was confident that the judiciary will ensure a free and manifestly fair trial for Kanu.
The statement which is seen as an appeal to the conscience of members of IPOB not to indulge in any form of activities that would constitute security breach during the proposed IPOB’s sit-at-home order.
The statement reads in part:
“We therefore wish to call on all citizens and visitors to continue to be law abiding and avoid any act that might lead to a break down of law and order.
“While Government will not compel anyone wishing to sit at home for any reason whatsoever not to do so, as citizens have freedom of movement under the extant Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we wish to strongly advice that nobody should also compel or enforce any sit at home order from any non state actor as doing so does not serve any known interests of the people of the state.”
Adducing reasons why Abians should not join in the proposed protest, Okiyi said:
“Furthermore, compelling our children to stay away from school can only serve the interests of the yet to be properly identified persons who may not want to see us make progress as a people.
“Similarly, our traders sitting at home at a time they need to work very hard to sustain their families and create wealth especially in this era of COVID-19 impacted global economy will obviously not serve any development interest of our hardworking citizens.”
The Commissioner, therefore, advised
all law-abiding citizens and visitors to go about their normal businesses without fear of molestation as adequate security has been provided to ensure their safety.
“Parents and guardians are also called upon to ensure that they monitor the activities of their children and wards with a view to ensuring that they do not engage in unlawful activities that will put them in harm’s way,” he added.