Crisis is rocking the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) following the suspension of its weekly sit-at-home order in the South-East.
The group in a statement on Thursday, August 19, appealed to its members to calm down and not to give room for its enemies to mock them.
The crisis came as some members refused to accept that the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, was aware of the suspension of the sit-at-home order.
These aggrieved members are, therefore, accusing the leadership of the group of sabotage.
First News had reported that IPOB declared every Monday a sit-at-home in the South-East beginning from August 9. The decision was to use the measure to protest the arrest and detention of their leader, Kanu, by the Muhammadu Buhari-government.
TgNews had also reported that Kanu’s younger brother, Kanunta Kanu, kicked against the order.
After the order was observed on Monday, August 9, a statement by Ifeanyi Ejiofor, counsel to the IPOB leader, announced that Kanu had approved the suspension of the sit-at-home.
Several members of the group have been attacking Ejiofor and the leadership of the party, a development that is now threatening the group’s unity.
However, in a statement by its spokesman, Emma Powerful on Thursday, IPOB maintained that its leader was aware of the sit-at-home suspension.
The statement partly read, “The Indigenous People of Biafra ably led by our great leader Nnamdi Kanu, has told those criticising and insulting the lead counsel of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor, to stop and see reason with us for suspending the Monday weekly sit-at-home.
“Some uninformed fellows and mischief makers have been insulting, criticizing and attacking Ifeanyi Ejiofor for giving his nod to the suspension of the Monday weekly sit-at-home. IPOB is also disappointed that despite our earlier explanations on the rationale behind our decision to suspend the Monday sit-at-home order, some fellows are still disparaging our lead counsel and our leadership over the decisions.
“We therefore, wish to advise all those playing the devil’s advocate to desist in their own interest and stop giving our enemies room to mock us. IPOB is a well structured and organised movement with clear cut hierarchical structure as well.
“Henceforth, IPOB will no longer take lightly any act of insubordination from anybody or from any quarter irrespective of one’s status on our leader’s lawyers. They have not taken any action inimical to the struggle to warrant the embarrassing and undeserved insults from some uninformed folks.
“All the decisions so far taken were in the best interest of the struggle and in accordance with direct directive from our Leader who is very impressed with the actions and solidarity so far given and implemented by the leadership since his incarceration.
“Ifeanyi Ejiofor, remains IPOB’s lead counsel and our leader’s lead legal representative and our leader reposes strong confidence in his ability and capacity. As a trusted counsel, he has not betrayed or misrepresented his clients IPOB and Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“There is no reason therefore, for anyone especially IPOB family members to reciprocate Ejiofor’s sacrifices with insults. The facts in the public domain evidences multiple attempts by the Nigeria security agencies to eliminate Ejiofor at all costs because they have failed to get him compromised.
“Instead of appreciating him for defending our leader at the risk of his own life, some mischief makers are trying to accuse him of sabotage. This is not only ridiculous but stupidity taken too far.
“We also wish to clarify that in IPOB, we have nothing or nobody known as autopilot. Anybody going by such a title is not IPOB, and is flouting our rules. Anybody claiming to be such should immediately disengage before he is embarrassed.”
