‘We Will Not Allow IPOB’s Illegal Sit At Home Exercise Again’

We will not allow the illegal sit at home exercise of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) again in Imo State, a combined team of security agencies have vowed.

The Nigerian Army, The Navy, Nigeria Police, State security Services (SSS) and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) which make up the combined team, held a parade in Owerri today which they called “Show of force”.

Addressing the parade, the Commander, 34 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Obinze, Owerri, Brig.-Gen. Sani Sulaiman assured residents that the combined team of the agencies have renewed their commitment to contain insecurity.

He said they were ready to end the observance of the illegal  sit-at-home order by the proscribed  Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its security arm, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

He said law-abiding citizens had nothing to fear, as the Show-Of-Force was meant to reassure them of the readiness of the security agencies to protect them.

Gen Sulaiman said that the agencies were ready to bring all criminals to book especially those who escaped from the Owerri Correctional facility on April 5, 2021.

“This Show Of Force parade is a demonstration of the existing synergy among all the security agencies, which we believe is key to combating all criminal elements in the state.

“We will leave no stone unturned in bringing to book all criminals including arsonists, murderers, kidnappers as well as oil vandals and those involved in illegal oil bunkering in the state.

“ I advise those involved in illegal oil activities to stay away from Imo  or be ready to suffer monumental losses “, he said.

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Also speaking, the Commander, 211 Quick Response Group of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Idorenyin Friday Bassey, described IPOB as an “irredentist group”.

He also described them as terrorists, kidnappers and petty thieves in the guise of fighting for self-determination.