Stay Away From Ebonyi Or Face Dire Consequences, Umahi Tells IPOB, MASSOB

Following the seat-at-home order issued by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign state of Biafra (MASSOB), the Ebonyi State Government has warned the movements to stay away from the state or face the consequences.

IPOB and a faction of MASSOB had issued an order urging Igbos to seat-at-home on Wednesday, 30th of May, 2018, to commemorate the declaration of Independence of Biafra by late Biafra war lord, Emeka Odimegwu Ojukwu.

During a press briefing on Monday, Senior Special Assistant to the governor David Umahi on Internal Security, Dr. Kenneth Ugbala, said the state has adopted all necessary security measures and nothing of such would take place in the state.

“You recall that in 2017, there was this idea of sit-at-home by those who call themselves Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and that brought some chaos in some big cities like Abia, Anambra, Enugu and Imo, but in Ebonyi here we have always been lucky. God has always being with us and with the proactive measures we adopted, we were able to handle the situation.

“You could equally recall that the activities of IPOB have been proscribed by the southeast governor’s forum which our Governor, Engr. David Nweze UMAHI is the chairman.

“Now, we have started gathering security information and reports that people are going to sit-at-home on 30th of May. But the governor has directed us to inform the public that there is nothing like sit-at-home on 30th May. We don’t allow it in Ebonyi state. It can never be observed here. We don’t recognise it and it has nothing to do with Ebonyi stats.

“The activities of IPOB has been proscribed. As government, one of the responsibilities we owe the people is to ensure the protection of lives and property.

“So, everybody is expected to go about their lawful businesses. The security agencies are already on alert and proper security measures have been put in place to ensure that every law abiding citizen of the state go about their normal business without interruption,” he said.

Ugbala said Ebonyi state government would not tolerate any plot to sabotage its efforts in developing the state’s economy.