"Lock Your Shop For IPOB Sit-At-Home, Lose It Forever" - Governor Umahi Threatens

DAVID Umahi, Ebonyi State governor has threatened to deal with traders in the state who obey the sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB).

It is the tradition of Pro-Biafra groups to always sit-at-home annually on May 30 to commemorate the dead of those who lost their lives in the struggle.

Mr Umahi while addressing the people at the 2018 democracy day celebration on Tuesday threatened to permanently forfeit the shop of any trader in the state who obeys the order from IPOB.

Mr Umahi who said such order would not be observed his state noted that the manner in which IPOB was pursuing its course was not right as the Ohaneze Ndigbo took the right action in the comity of Ibo sons and daughters.

“We do not need distractions or second colonisation as we continue to believe in God to change our narrative with no man born of a woman setting us back.

“Any trader that closes shop on the day will forfeit it forever and any protest will be decisively dealt with.

“Ebonyi indigenes should go about their businesses peacefully and safely and if the South-East governors say we don’t want IPOB activities, it does not mean that we are happy with the zone’s marginalisation in the country.

“We call on the Federal Government to look into the plight of South-east and address the issue of marginalisation because we believe in one Nigeria that will enshrine justice and fairness.

“We also believe in the sanctity of human lives and call on the citizens to cooperate in ensuring the growth and development of the state and country,” he said.

Mr Umahi during the occasion to reeled out his government’s achievements in education, health, agriculture, infrastructure development, commerce and industry and human empowerment among other sectors.

However, the Deputy Coordinator of the Biafra separatists in the state, Mr. Ugochukwu Nweke, vowed that it would implement its sit-at-home order in all parts of the state

“What I am saying is that our activities will go on tomorrow as planned all over the world, not only here in Ebonyi. Government has no right whatsoever to takeover anybody’s shop on the grounds of closing their shop to honour the sit-at-home order.

“Our activities tomorrow will be monitored through our searchlight. Government has no power to give such order. We are going ahead to carry out our activities tomorrow. Nobody can stop us from doing that,” vowed Nweke.