Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide has urged residents of South-East to ignore Mr Simon Ekpa’s declaration of a one-week sit-at-home in the zone.
The Finland-based violent Biafra agitator had announced one week sit-at-home commencing from today, July 3, 2023 despite the the mainstream leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) suspending the exercise.
But Ekpa, from his base in Finland where he holds regular social media sessions with his followers, has continued to spearhead regular Monday sit-at-home in the South-East region which is enforced with violence.
Several groups, individuals and State governments have also condemned the sit-at-home, lamenting its economic implications on the zone. Yet, Ekpa has again asked the people of the South-East to stay at home for one week.
In a statement on Monday, the National President of Ohanaeze Youths, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike urged South-East residents to ignore Ekpa’s directive, describing the order as as dictatorial as there was no justification for someone to relax in his comfortable abode in Finland and then issue orders that others should not seek their daily bread for one week.
The youth group said: “We have always made it clear that Simon Ekpa is not fighting for Biafra; he is only using the name of Biafra to enrich himself.
“He is also not interested in having Mazi Nnamdi Kanu released because he knows any day Kanu is released, his business will end.
“So, he goes ahead taking decisions, issuing orders that would lead to the prolonged detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“One of such is his senseless and unjustified sit-at-home orders. How could you ask the breadwinner of a home to sit-at-home for one week and watch himself and his family members starve to death? It is utterly senseless.
“It is even more deceitful considering that the person issuing the order is in far away Finland enjoying himself.
“Ndigbo should, therefore, not take him seriously; come out and go about your normal business. There is no sit-at-home anywhere.”
Okwu added that even the IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu had also condemned the sit-at-home, stating clearly that it was not in the best interest of the people of the zone.
“For Ekpa to be promoting it against the directive of the IPOB leader, Kanu shows that he is on a personal mission and should be ignored,” Okwu added.