Rescueing Igboland from IPOB’s Stranglehold
By Kolawole O. Iyiola
It can be recalled that the proscribed group of the Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) introduced a sit-at-home order in August 2021 as a means of mounting pressure on the Nigerian government for the unconditional release of its leader, Mr. Nnmadi Kanu, who is currently in detention at the Department of State Service (DSS) cell.
IPOB initially declared the holiday for Mondays but later extended it to any day Mr Kanu is billed to appears in court. Since then, the South-east has become a ghost region with all businesses shut down on such days and every Monday as residents stay at home, mainly out of fear of attack.
Mr. Kanu is standing trial for alleged treasonable felony and terrorism before he jumped bail and escaped out of the country but later rearrested in Kenya and repatriated back to Nigeria for the continuation of legal proceedings.
Initially, the southeastern people had willingly obeyed this order as a sign of solidarity to Kanu whom they regarded as saviour until they started to realize and equally began to count losses on the economic cost on businesses and livelihood on individuals and families over a period of time which made the situation no longer unbearable. Thus, they started resisting and defying the so-called directive.
However, IPOB Militants under the disguise identity of ‘unknown gunmen’ have been going around killing people and destroying their hard earned properties as a way to enforce compliance. This ugly trend has dented the image of the Eastern region as one of the most dangerous zone in the country as it has turned to epicenter of criminalities where people are being maimed and killed in cold blood on a daily basis.
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Meanwhile, the Anambra State Governor, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo has said that an estimated amount of N19.6 billion has been lost alone during the sit-at-home period and it seems as if the IPOB is committed to ruining its own economy as the attacks continued without sign of abating.
I personally view that it is baseless to embark on killing spree and destruction of people’s properties just to press home your demand for the release of one citizen who is standing trial before the court of law. This is tantamount to ruining the society, which may turns bloody when the community members are pushed to the wall and decide to protect themselves. This can snowball to violence which can destroys the society and gives reason for there to be hatred or even war between the people and government .
For quite number of occasions, there have been several initiative made to persuade IPOB to revoke the sit-at-home rule so as to promote peace, unity and rescue government from economic downfall. One of these efforts is the move to convince President Muhammadu Buhari to release Nnmadi Kanu with the assurance to maintain peace.
However, this could not be achieved as Mr Buhari insisted that Kanu should have his day in court to clear his name and that he can-not interfere with the judiciary.
Meanwhile, in spite of measures being taken to prevent killing and kidnappings in the South-East region by the Governors in collaboration with other federal security agencies , the killing and abductions of government officials and their accomplices have continued unabated.
However, the spirited efforts of Professor Soludo and other stakeholders in Anambra State to douse tension in the region have been commended but with little or no significant success.
This is because, the ugly trend is still in resurgence while people continue to live in fear and sorrow. The recent killing and beheading of Anambra lawmaker by unknown gunmen as well as brutal murder of Arewa Muslim pregnant woman, Harira and her four children were to say the least of these barbaric acts.
Something must be done to rescue southeast from the mercy of these blood-sucking demons who continued to hold the region by the jugulars. Definitely and urgently.
Kolawole O. Iyiola
Department of Mass Communication
Babcock University, Ogun State
