Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State on Monday retrained the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) from issuing any order in the state, saying that IPOB cannot give sit-at-home order to the people of Rivers State.
Wike had argued that Rivers is a South-South state, maintaining that Rivers is not part of the southeast.
Governor Wike prohibited the enforcement of the directive in Rivers State. The governor noted that he is not opposed to the activities of the group in the eastern part of the country but insisted that such activities should be within the jurisdiction of the agitators. He said that IPOB does not exist in Rivers State, saying that the state is in the Niger Delta.
“IPOB cannot make an order to say sit at home in Rivers State. I have said so clearly before because it does not exist in Rivers State.
“Rivers State is not part of South-East. Rivers State is South-South, we are in the Niger Delta.
“I am not saying whether the people in the South-East should not obey what IPOB has said or not. “But they cannot give order to Rivers people to sit at home.”
IPOB spokesperson, Emma Powerful, had on behalf of Nnamdi Kanu, IP{OB leader, ordered that human and vehicular movements be restricted in the southeast on Monday to commemorate the 54th anniversary of Biafra.
There was total compliance with the sit-at-home order in all the southeast states, from Abia to Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi and Imo. Shops were locked,markets shut down, roads deserted.