In what will be a major relief for residents in the region, the Anambra traditional rulers council has averred that the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has decided to end its sit-at-home directive in the south-east.
News Agency of Nigeria reports that the chairman of the council, Nnaemeka Achebe said IPOB yielded to the appeal of the traditional council to make way for peace.
According to the news agency, Achebe spoke after a peacebuilding and security meeting which took place in Awka, the state capital.
The monarch was quoted as saying the stakeholders have continually held meetings on how to resolve the impasse with the agitators.
The chairman, who is the Obi of Onitsha, said after the meeting, leaders of the group placed a call to their members to sheathe their swords and embrace dialogue.
Achebe said “We call on all who had taken the way of gun to put down their guns and take up the olive leaf from the government to better themselves”.
Delineating on the development, the chairman noted that the state government has set aside April 4 for prayers aimed at seeking lasting peace in Anambra and the south-east.
He said “Igboland has lost so much in the economic and social development of the zone and we are tired of the situation and want peace”.
“It is agreed that on Sunday, April 3, all churches will announce the IPOB decision to their faithful to come out on Monday, 11am, to their various churches to offer prayers to God for the restoration of peace and economic development.”
However, IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful told newsmen that the group had no representative at the meeting, but reiterated that IPOB had already cancelled the sit-at-home order and that it welcomes any decision the state government takes towards ensuring non-compliance.
Powerful urged the traditional council to be wary of anyone who identifies himself as a representative of IPOB.
“Initially, IPOB had cancelled Monday sit-at-home. So, any plan the government and the traditional rulers have to ensure that the sit-at-home is no more going on, we accept it,” he said.
“But the gimmicks they are using that they had a meeting with us, they did not have any meeting with anybody. Anybody that is was there in the name of the IPOB, let them ask the person what is their position in the IPOB’s struggle.
“Anybody can come and scam them. People can use IPOB to scam them in order to get money. What we are interested in anything they are doing towards the release of our leader and a date for referendum.
“The Monday sit-at-home had already been cancelled by IPOB. Anybody doing anything to enforce it is doing it on its own.”
