In a significant development, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has declared an end to all Sit-At-Home exercises, including the Monday’s sit-at-home and any other proposed actions aimed at securing his release from detention. Kanu made this declaration through a handwritten letter, which was read out by his special counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, during a world press conference held in Enugu State on Friday.
The decision to end the Sit-At-Home exercise comes after Simon Ekpa, a self-acclaimed disciple, refused to announce the cancellation as instructed by Kanu through his media platforms. In the letter dated July 24, 2023, Kanu warned Ekpa to desist from calling for any Sit-At-Home henceforth and demanded a public announcement of the order’s cancellation.
Kanu emphasized that the Sit-At-Home exercise is no longer necessary and urged his followers to focus on other means of addressing the issues facing the region, particularly the unconscionable delays in hearing the government’s appeal at the Supreme Court. He expressed displeasure at the mayhem and hardship caused by the enforcement of the Sit-At-Home order, stating that it was not in line with his vision of liberating the people.
As a prominent figure with a significant following, Kanu’s directive carries weight among IPOB members and sympathizers. The press statement issued by his counsel aims to convey Kanu’s message clearly and put an end to any further Sit-At-Home actions. The development is likely to have an impact on the activities of the IPOB and the region’s socio-political landscape.
The full statement reads: “This Public Announcement bears (as shall be reproduced below) the unedited, verbatim Instructions containing a Direct Order personally issued by MAZI NNAMDI KANU in his own handwriting on 24th July, 2023 through me to MAZI SIMON EKPA, instructing him to ‘desist from calling for any Sit-at-Home henceforth’ and ‘to make a public announcement to the effect that he (Mazi Simon Ekpa) is in receipt of a direct order from him (Mazi Nnamdi Kanu) to cancel any pending Sit-at-Home in place at the moment’; and also that he (Mazi Nnamdi Kanu) has, by the same order, ‘authorized me to issue a press statement if he (Mazi Simon Ekpa) fails to make this announcement on his platform’.
“For avoidance of doubt, this Direct Order was personally handed to me by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu when I visited him on the said 24th July, 2023 at the headquarters of the Department of State Security (DSS), Abuja. Later that day, I tried to contact Mazi Simon Ekpa via his WhatsApp number but could not reach him until 1:44AMthe following day (25th July, 2023), whereupon I snapped the Direct Order as written and sent to him. He thereafter acknowledged receipt and we spoke briefly on it and exchanged a couple text messages thereof.
“Since that early 25th July, 2023 (when I conveyed the Order to Mazi EKPA and he duly acknowledged it, he has not implemented the Order or otherwise made such announcement on his media platform. Nonetheless, I made a conscious decision to give him the benefit of doubt and thereby accord him more time to do the needful.
“Then, late yesterday, further written Instructions was issued by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to me, referring to the extant Direct Order to Mazi Ekpa and, in addition, instructing me that given that Mazi Ekpa has not carried out the Order, I must, as of today, being 28th July 2023, proceed to make the Order public through a Public Announcement/ Press Statement. In the said further Instructions, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu added more pertinent details and instructed that I must equally make them public.
“Accordingly, and as of Counsel, bound by duty and the solemn oath of my noble profession to faithfully and zealously implement my Client’s clear Instructions without any fear or favor, I now therefore reproduce verbatim the contents of said Direct Order to Mazi Simon Ekpa (at the first Paragraph) and the related further Instructions (from the second Paragraph to the end), as follows:
“Simon, this is a direct order from me. I hereby instruct you to desist from calling for any Sit-at-Home henceforth. Equally refrain from antagonizing Governors or persons in political positions because you are not in a position to know what they are doing on my behalf. I am ordering you to make a public announcement to the effect that you are in receipt of a direct order from me to cancel any pending Sit-at-Home in place at the moment.
I embarked on this movement to liberate our people not to enslave them. I despise and will despise any person or entity that wishes to inflict unnecessary hardship on our people. I have authorized Aloy to issue a press statement if you fail to make this announcement on your platform.
“Anybody still engaging in Sit-at-Home is not my disciple. Haters of Biafra and mindless murderers in uniform are hiding under the cover of combating enforcers of Sit-at-Home to unleash mayhem against the same people we swore to defend.
“I have sent countless messages to those purportedly enforcing Sit-at-Home that they are not doing so in my name. I am not begging anybody to release me just that Nigeria should have the decency to obey their own laws.
“The main issue which our people should address their minds to is the unconscionable delays in hearing the government appeal at the Supreme Court, which is a situation not amenable to any Sit-at-Home. Therefore Sit-at-Home is a waste of time, resources and energy.
“Those who may not understand the genesis of the Sit-at-Home should refer to my younger brother’s press statement on the eve of the commencement of the original order issued by the IPOB family. My brother made it clear to the DOS that I was against the order for people to stay at home under whatever guise. This caused a rift between my siblings and DOS till date.
“Aloy should use the above contributions to form the main body of the press statement. I want our people to know how this whole sit-at-home brouhaha started. Had DOS obeyed my direct instructions to cancel the first Monday sit-at-home, opportunistic scavengers would not have jumped on the bandwagon to wreak havoc on our people I want our people to know how this whole Sit-at-Home brouhaha started. Had DOS obeyed my direct instructions to cancel the first Monday Sit-at-Home, opportunistic scavengers would not have jumped on the bandwagon to wreak havoc on our people.”
“You (Aloy) must release the press statement tomorrow with the screenshot of the handwritten note I gave to you unfailingly”.
Signed: Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”
