Millions defy sit-at-home return to South East to celebrate Christmas, New Year

Joseph Irikefe

Millions of South East people defied the sit-at-home order by the self-styled leader of the breakaway faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Simon Epka to celebrate Christmas and New Year.

Before now, Nigerians in the Southeast often observe the sit-at-home every Monday. This development has turned the southeast into a ghost region on Mondays because businesses and movements are grounded.

Simon Epka’s faction of the proscribed IPOB, known as Auto Pilot usually enforces this illegal action. The group was seeking the secession of the southeast region from Nigeria.

The group has noted that the order was being enforced to compel the Nigerian government to release its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who was currently facing terrorism charges in Abuja.

Recall that in 2021, Kanu was rearrested in Kenya and repatriated to Nigeria. The embattled leader of IPOB had since been in the custody of the Department of State Service (DSS). The Court of Appeal ordered his release, but the Supreme Court upturned the judgment, adding that Kanu would not have been re-arrested in Kenya if he had not jumped bail.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court had dismissed the judgment of the Court of Appeal that discharged and acquitted Nnamdi Kanu. With the judgment, Kanu, the embattled leader of the proscribed IPOB, will now face trial on treasonable felony and terrorism. According to the Supreme Court, Kanu would not have been brought to Nigeria if he had not jumped bail.