‘It will cause more suffering’- Ohanaeze Worldwide kicks against IPOB’s sit-at-home order

Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, a socio-cultural association, has kicked against the sit-at-home order issued by the Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB to protest the arrest and detention of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

Kanu was arrested in Kenya on June 27 and extradited to Nigeria on June 29 and has been in DSS custody since then. IPOB in a statement released few days ago, announced that it will enforce a lockdown every Monday in the South-east until Kanu is released. The group said the lockdown tagged ‘Ghost Monday’ will also affect schools and marketplaces.

However in a statement released by its secretary-general, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide kicked against the sit-at-home order saying it will further worsen the economic woes of the region.

“We are in support of any civil disobedience that will be peaceful and without infestations of untold hardship and economic havoc on southeastern Nigerians, we are aware of the economic losses associated with sit-at-home orders in the past but we call for caution in the issuance of fresh sit at home orders with suffering starring on the faces of Ndigbo,” the statement reads.

Southeastern governors should be consulted with other stakeholders including Igbo traditional rulers and market administrators to ascertain the consequences of sit-at-home orders in the past and the best strategies to free Nnamdi Kanu.

It’s not in the best interest of Ndigbo to add more salt to injuries, there are better options that IPOB can use to push for the release of Nnamdi Kanu without infesting hardships on Ndigbo through sit-at-home.”

The group advised IPOB to “review their stance and see the bigger pictures of the discomforts and suffering of Igbos and adjust the sit-at-home from once a week to once a month”.