By Cajetan Mmuta
Tension and confusion enveloped some parts of Anambra state over the death of a man said to have been stabbed six times by persons alleged to be members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the commercial town of Nnewi.
This is as members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Tuesday denied involvement in the enforcement of a sit-at-home exercise in the South East, saying it would deal with those behind it.
The allegedly IPOB group was said to be enforcing the sit-at-home order by the group, in commemoration of the invasion of the home of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu in the Afara community near Umuahia on September 14, 2021, by military personnel.
Also, a commercial bus conveying passengers from Awka town to Ekwuluobia and a tricycle were set ablaze in Nanka,. for defying the Sit-At-Home order in Nanka in Orumba North local government area by suspected loyalists of the group.
Besides, a tricycle operator plying the routes in the morning hours along Arthur Eze Avenue was visited with machete cuts in his hand and leg while his tricycle was dispossessed of him and set ablaze in the process.
This is as all roads, markets, commercial banks, shops, motor parks, and petrol stations in parts of Awka, the state capital and adjoining towns of Onitsha, Nnewi, Nkpor and other urban centers of Enugu, Aba and Umuahia, Orlu, and Owerri in Imo state and Ebonyi state were completely deserted.
The development was in total defiance of the order on Monday by Governor Willie Obiano on market women, traders, banks, and residents to ignore any sit-at-home directive from any quarters, assuring them of guaranteed protection.
Checks showed that motorists were off major roads including the Enugu-Awka-Onitsha expressway, Owerri-Onitsha highway, and other adjoining major streets even as shops were under lock and key unlike what used to be the case during the weekly Sit-At-Home on Mondays.
However, the middle-aged man whose name could not be ascertained at the time of this report was stabbed and abandoned in his pool of blood at the Eastern Mass Transport Company junction in Nnewi.
He was said to have approached a roadblock and stepped out of his car to remove an object of obstruction which was placed at the center of the road when some boys emerged from the area descended on him and stabbed him severally until he fell down.
In the Nanka incident, the driver of the commercial bus was said to have been attacked by persons alleged to be enforcing the IPOB order, while the bus was set ablaze.
The group had forced the passengers to disembark from the bus before setting it on fire after they had pushed the bus into a nearby ditch.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Anambra State Command, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga when contacted confirmed the incidents.
He explained that men of the command had patrolled and visited some of the areas where the incidents happened, adding that have restored to the areas.
According to him, “On 14/09/2021 at about 9:30hrs, the command received distress on call on a case of arson and malicious damage along Nanka/Oko road. Police operatives are currently on the ground now and the situation is being monitored. Normalcy has also been restored in the area.”
“The command and Other Security Agencies have since intensified patrols & surveillance.
“Preliminary investigation reveals that the attackers stop the tricycle and the commercial bus, chase occupants away and set the vehicle and tricycle on fire. Meanwhile, no loss of life was recorded please.”
Meanwhile, members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have denied involvement in the enforcement of a sit-at-home exercise in the South East, saying it would deal with those behind it.
The group in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful said the group has no hand in the enforcement of the exercise, saying it has long suspended it.
“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.
IPOB said, “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.”
He said anybody trying to enforce any sit-at-home order using the name of IPOB is a saboteur 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 regrets 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.”
It said the ‘every Monday’ sit-at-home was suspended because of the economic implications it has on the people, and that it listened to appeals by the people and reviewed their stance on the matter then.
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“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 condemns 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 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 a taskforce to checkmate those parading themselves as IPOB volunteers and those committing this crime against humanity and our people.”
