The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has thrown its weight behind the call by Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah for the residents to stop observing sit-at-home on Monday.

Mbah, last week, threatened that any resident of the state who boycotts economic activities henceforth in the name of sit-at-home would have his or her business closed.

The governor said he will deploy the security forces to ensure sit-at-home is no longer observed in the state.

Reacting to the governor’s order, IPOB said it would support an end to the sit-at-home, but not with the use of brute. 

IPOB revealed these in a statement by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful on Monday, noting that it had announced that the sit-at-home be suspended after criminals hijacked it to torment innocent people.

The statement partly read, “After our leadership initiated the Monday sit-at-home order to demand the release of our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who is currently being illegally detained at DSS dungeon, (it also) directed IPOB leadership to stop the sit-at-home to avoid criminals capitalising on that to harm our people.  

“Though some Biafrans continued with Monday sit-at-home voluntarily, as our leader predicted, after the suspension order, some criminals and infiltrators hijacked it and started committing crimes and enforcing non-existent Monday sit-at-home. 

“It is obvious that Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Mba should be made aware that IPOB has already suspended Monday sit-at-home. For him to publicly associate IPOB with Monday sit-at-home is obnoxious. 

“If indeed Mr Governor Mba wants to return to normalcy on Mondays, he will have the support of IPOB because the criminals enforcing non-existent Monday sit-at-home are criminals. 

“Someone wants to penalise our people, (and) anybody enforcing non-existent Monday sit-at-home order is not helping IPOB and our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. Every member of IPOB and Biafrans should be coming out on Mondays for their business. 

However, the governor must know that Nigeria Police knows the criminals and the hideout of the criminals who enforce sit-at-home in some communities and claim to be IPOB but are not. 

“We are advising Dr Peter Mba to ask his predecessor, Dr Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who is responsible for the criminalities going on in Enugu State and other states. We listed some of the criminals in Enugu State and we will do such again to Dr Mba. 

“Dr Peter Mba should be careful not to be used by enemies to target and attack IPOB members and ESN operatives. IPOB is not part of the problem but part of the solution to the peace and security of our land. 

“Enugu State Governor should encourage our people to go about their businesses on Mondays but never order murderous security to force people out.”