Southeast govts threaten citizens who comply with IPOB’s sit-at-home order

The Anambra government has vowed to sanction any of its staff who fail to report to office on May 30.

The directive for Anambra workers to return to work after Tuesday’s Democracy Day celebration was circulated from the office of the Head of Service in the state, Harry Uduh.

IPOB, a separatist movement, declared Wednesday a sit-at-home protest day across the southeast for an independent Biafra.

This is supposed to be in comemoration of the declaration of Biafra by the late Odumegwu Ojukwu in 1967.

But the group was declared a terrorist organisation by court last year.

Governments across the region have similarly warned their civil service against compliance with the IPOB declaration.

Ebonyi government, for instance, threatened that traders who obey the sit at home order will permanently forfeit their shops.

In Abia, the police and the civil defence held a joint security operation on Tuesday to warn IPOB against the sit at home order.

The Abia police said it would provide maximum security and advised workers and businesses to proceed with their work.

The Anambra government asked permanent secretaries and heads of departments and agencies to monitor the situation and report accordingly.