Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka
Anambra Police Command and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have engaged in war of words following May 30 sit-at-home order by the group.
While the police insisted that IPOB, as a proscribed organisation, lacked the legitimacy to declare a protest order, IPOB said police can’t stop it from carrying out its religious obligation to Biafra’s fallen heroes.
Commissioner of Police, Anambra State, Mr. Garba Umar, described the group as misguided elements and urged the people in the state to disregard the order and go about their lawful normal businesses, assuring that the State Police Command is on top of the situation.
“The command, with other security agencies, will not hesitate to deal decisively with any individual or groups, under any guise, who disrupts public peace.”
But, in a swift reaction, IPOB, through a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said there is no going back on the May 30 sit-at-home order, describing it is as “oblation” that would take place in no fewer than 100 countries of the world.
IPOB further said it is a religious obligation to its indigenes killed unjustly over the years, including victims of the 1967-70 civil war. It condemned what it called police meddlesomeness in its affairs.
The police, IPOB insisted have no powers, in any law, to interfere in anybody’s “religious affairs,” as it is an inalienable right of every human and vowed to go ahead with the order as earlier planned.
“All Biafrans, no matter the states they are located, must honour and remember their heroes and heroines of the 1967 to 1970 Nigeria – Biafra war and others unjustly killed over the years.
“Every family, kindred, village, clan, town across the length and breadth of Eastern region, Mid-West and Middle Belt are expected to remain indoors from 6:00p.m. on Tuesday, (tomorrow) to 6:00p.m. on May 30. It is expected that a team of local and international observers will be on ground to monitor compliance and interview people.
Meanwhile, the Eastern Consultative Assembly (ECA), yesterday, gave full support to the sit-at-home order by IPOB.
ECA, which spoke through its Secretary, Evangelist Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko, called Ndigbo wherever they might be, to observer the day with sober reflection, to honour those who laid down their lives for the Igbo nation.
“I would like to use this opportunity to plead with our people to remain indoors on May 30. It’s the only way we honour our dead and reminisce on our journey in the country we find ourselves.”
On the Igbo summit on restructuring, held last Monday, in Awka, the ECA chief said: “I am grateful to God that the section of the Igbo elite, who, for various reasons were afraid to identify openly with the restructuring gale that has been blowing across the country for over two decades (since the Abacha days), have finally found the courage to stand up and be counted. To God be the glory.
“Credit goes to leaders like Prof Ben Nwabueze and the patriots, who sustained the restructuring struggle for decades. We must also remain grateful to the great Ide, late Dr. Alex Ekwueme, who actually is the father of the six regional structure.
“It does not matter that this people woke up to the truth very late, their ceremony at Awka shows they have eventually become converted to the truth. We must thank God for that and pray their conversion is real.
“We must also help them sustain the tempo until Nigeria is returned to the regional formats that saw rapid development in the first republic. Returning Nigeria to the 1963 Constitution remains the only way out of the impasse the country has found itself.”
Ugochukwu-Uko restated the group’s stand that the only restructuring accelted to it was the return to 1963 Constitution, which foundation was on true fiscal federalism and regional autonomy.
“Finally, we restate that the only kind of restructuring that will save Nigeria is return to the 1963 Constitution built on true fiscal federalism and regional autonomy.
“Any attempt by the oppressor to retain the 36 states as federating units and also sustain the unjust 774 local government areas while claiming that devolving some powers and duties to the states equals to re-+ structuring, will be resisted. Only a return to the 1963 constitution will be acceptable.”