.Advises Ekpa, others to desist from creating panic
From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Enugu
Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), yesterday, backed the end of Mondays sit-at-home declaration by Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah describing it as a step in the right direction.
The group commended the governor for the efforts in ensuring the enforcement even as it faulted those opposed to the declaration, especially leader of a faction of the pro-Biafra agitators, Simon Ekpa.
MASSOB in a statement issued by its National Director of Information, Edeson Samuel, warned Ekpa to desist from promoting things that were not in the interest of peace and development of Igbo land.
It also demanded release of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu as panacea fo peace in Nigeria and Igboland.
“We, the members of MASSOB advised those agents working against the interest of our people and for the destabilisation of Igboland to desist and give peace a chance. Our stand as the mother of all pro-Biafra groups remains that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu must be released for peace to be restored in Nigeria and Igbo land.
“But we do not believe that the quest for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and the actualisation of the sovereign state of Biafra, both of which are our collective struggles, are synonymous with the creation of the state of fear, insecurity, and waste of lives and properties, all of which are unhealthy to peace, entrepreneurship, productivity, investment, and development in our home land. But we cannot allow fear, insecurity, and unproductivity take over our region. Consequently, it is noteworthy that the idea of enforcing a compulsory sit-at-home on Mondays had since been jettisoned by all genuine agitators.
“Therefore, the position of the Enugu State Government as announced by Governor Peter Mbah, is not different from the position of MASSOB and all true lovers of peace and development of Igbo land,” Samuel said.
MASSOB said the directive to government offices, businesses, transporters, schools, among others, to resume full operations was in order, as genuine pro-Biafra agitators had since jettisoned the idea of Monday sit-at-home long before now.
It noted that the organization, and the leader of IPOB, through their lawyer, had since called on the Igbo to go about their normal businesses because they did not want to inflict more pains on the people.
“Even if the sit-at home should last for one month or more, it is only our people and businesses that will suffer and not the Federal Government. We enjoin the people to go about their businesses on Mondays without fear of molestation, as any attempt to molest them will be fully resisted by MASSOB and other pro-Biafra agitators. MASSOB equally calls on Simon Ekpa and any other comrades in the struggle to desist from anything that could create panic in any form. We must give peace a chance.”