The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), yesterday said no amount of joint security meetings or intimidation would make it jettison the proposed sit-at-home planned for Friday next week.

Reacting to a press statement by the Commissioner of Police, Anambra State, Garba Umar, IPOB said such joint security meeting was not needed in Igboland, asking security agencies to channel their strategies to the North where there were security challenges.

The group, which insisted that it could not be arm-twisted said: ‘‘our general strike is going ahead on September 14 as declared by IPOB high command and no Jupiter can stop it.”

Umar, had, in a press briefing after a closed-door meeting of high powered security operatives that included the army, police, civil defence, immigration, Department of State Services (DSS), among others at the police headquarters in Awka, said that IPOB remained an illegal organisation, hence, their sit-at-home order would not be tolerated.

“IPOB is an illegal organisation. We are therefore appealing to members of the public, that on no account should they be intimidated or harassed into succumbing to the threats of IPOB.

“We urge members of the public to go about their lawful businesses as they will be adequately protected. The issue of calling for a referendum on the 8th of this month or thereabout and the September 14 sit-at-home order by IPOB will not be tolerated.” he warned."

But, in a statement yesterday by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, the group said: “The report of a supposed joint security meeting in Awka, is reaffirmation of the strategic naivety plaguing the country’s security apparatus, because these security meetings should be held in the terror-ravaged North, where it would no doubt serve a more useful purpose.

•Excerpted from a Daily Sun report

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