Nigeria’s secessionist agitation group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Saturday announced the suspension of the weekly sit-at-home exercise it commenced in the southeast last Monday.
IPOB had declared the sit at home order, otherwise called ‘ghost Mondays’ in the Southeast in protest against the detention of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu by the Federal Government.
However, the first of such sit-at-home Mondays observed last Monday was accompanied by violence as armed members of the group went round the streets across different states of the Southeast to enforce it.
At least three persons were killed, while many vehicles were burnt during the enforcement of the order by IPOB operatives.
Also, analysts have said that the sit-at-home order would have negative effect on the economy of the region.
Consequently, there have been calls on the group to reconsider the action.
In a statement on Saturday by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, IPOB disclosed that it is suspending the action as a result of a direct order from Kanu to that effect.
It explained: “The leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) understands the concern being expressed by the global IPOB family on the suspension of the weekly Sit-At-Home earlier announced by the IPOB Head of Directorate of State of the Indigenous people of Biafra.
“We know that our people embraced this civil action wholeheartedly and without any compulsion.
“The leadership sincerely appreciate the innate desire of Biafrans to sacrifice their time, resources and energy in ensuring that our leader Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is released unconditionally from the illegal custody of the Nigerian State who criminally renditioned him from Kenya to Nigeria.
“The suspension of the sit-at-home by the IPOB Head of Directorate was as a result of a direct order from the leader of this great movement Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.