By Gabriel Atumeyi
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has condemned the Monday attack on students in Imo state writing the West African School Certificate Examination ( WASSCE) by hoodlums parading themselves as volunteers implementing IPOB’s sit-at-home order.
According to IPOB, perpetrators of the dastardly acts are acting alone and contrary to the instructions of the group’s hierarchy, which it said could drag the organization into infamy and disrepute.
In a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, IPOB explained that it has suspended the weekly Monday’s sit at home order because of the toll it is taken on the people of the Southeast region.
It said from now on, Sit at home in solidarity with its detained leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu will only take place on days he is to appear in court and that anybody caught enforcing any sit at home contrary to its instructions will be dealt with.
“We the global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by our great leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, wish to reiterate once again, that we have no other sit-at-home order after 14th September. Any other purported sit-at-home including the suspended weekly sit-at-home on Mondays does not exist in the dairy of IPOB. In fact, after September 14, there is no other sit-at-home this week. Any contrary news or speculations to this effect should be ignored.
“Anybody trying to enforce any sit-at-home order using the name of IPOB is a saboturer, and does so at his peril. If we catch anybody disturbing the peace of Biafrans or residents in Biafra land under the guise of enforcing non-existent sit-at-home order, such a person regret his actions because he will receive the reward of traitors.
” IPOB is a responsible organization with reasoning and empathy. We cannot be part of the problem we are trying to solve. We cannot join the enemies to compound the woes of our people we are fighting to liberate. That was why we suspended the ghost Mondays that we earlier declared because of the economic implications to our people. We listened to appeals by the people and reviewed our stance on the matter then. That was why we reduced the sit-at-home protests to the days our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu will be making appearances in court. That is enough for now and we stand by it. Anybody trying to impose another sit-at-home order on our people or enforce illegal or imaginary sit-at-home is not IPOB, and must be dealt with. Such a person(s) are working with the enemies to disrepute IPOB, and we won’t tolerate such stupidity.
“On this note, IPOB strongly condemn the barbaric act by hoodlums and mentally deranged fellows who disrupted a WAEC exam in a school in Imo State on Monday. What a stupid madness! Whoever was behind such barbarity must be made to pay for their actions.
IPOB further said it would replace and rebuild properties and buildings destroyed on Monday by hoodlums in the name of IPOB, while promising to checkmate any future reoccurrence.
“IPOB leadership is hereby promising to replace those motorbikes burnt in the school to their owners and rebuild school blocks burnt by hoodlums in the name of ESN and IPOB volunteers, this is not to portray or indicate that IPOB committed the heinous crimes against our people and promise to set up taxforce to chechmate those parading themselves as IPOB volunteers and those committing this crime against humanity and our people, we plead to Biafrans to bear with us for this dastardly act against humanity they are using to disrepute and demormize IPOB in the world. We are calling on the school management and those their properties were destroyed to contact any IPOB office near to them for possible payments of their properties.