By Suleiman Anyalewechi
The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, COSEY, on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, expressed concern and shock that some unscrupulous characters, masquerading under some nebulous bodies have now turned sit-at-home orders as a veritable business outlet, as well as a dangerous ploy to suffocate the economy of the South East region.
The group said that it is alarmed at the incessant rate at which sundry individuals will be issuing unnecessary orders to unsuspecting South East residents to shun their legitimate business activities and other means of livelihood and stay at home doing nothing.
The Source reports that some viral videos had, late last week, gone on circulation, urging the residents of the South East States to embark on a two day sit-at-home between Monday October 21 and Tuesday October 22.
Despite the Indigenous peoples of Biafra, IPOB, denying any responsibility for the declaration of the two days sit-at-home ,and strong warnings from various Security Agencies, most parts of the Region were completely locked down on Monday and Tuesday.
Repeated assurances from the various State Governments in the region did little to persuade the people, as many cities were deserted.
Vehicular movements human traffic, and business activities were completely paralyzed in all the South East states as people, mostly out of fear of being caught on the wrong side decided to stay at home.
Schools, banks and other sensitive institution were shut to avoid being destroyed and looted by hoodlums, most of who have been fingered as being responsible for hyping the sit-at-home order .
As at the time of reporting ,Tuesday October 22, most of the residents of major cities in the region were still afraid to venture out despite repeated denunciation of the sit-at-home order by Simon Ekpa himself.
The COSEYL, in a statement issued by its President General, Goodluck Ibem, noted that it is evident that the orders are coming from unknown persons and entities who are building a huge financial capital out of the misery of the people.
The group, therefore, condemned the unfortunate and disturbing trend, insisting it is high time residents began to resist this unbridled and senseless manipulative antics of a few miscreants.
“The orders came from unknown persons ,through voice notes and people are terrified into obeying such orders.
“We cannot continue like this as a people. This madness must stop. The Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, and Simon Ekpa have publicly distanced themselves from the purported two days sit-at-home order.
“The question now begging for answer is; who then is behind the sit-at-home orders that have crippled public and private activities in the South East region?
“This madness of some people waking from sleep and decide to order the people around just through voice notes must stop. This is a joke taken too far”, Ibem stated.
To this end ,the body called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from detention unconditionally as a way of putting an end to the ongoing security challenges in the region.
According to the group, freeing the leader of IPOB will make it difficult for those cashing in on the situation to inflict pain and misery on South Easterners to be isolated and dealt with accordingly
” We urge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to please release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to end this embarrassing situation whereby some individuals will be capitalizing on his incarceration to inflict pain, hardship on the people, and strangulate the economy of the South East region.
“The release of Nnamdi Kanu is crucial to halting the security challenges in the Zone and the nation at large .
“The promoters of this ill-fated sit-at-home order even went to the ridiculous extent of circulating a 2022 video of a burning tanker as part of events that took place on Monday October 21, 2024 in Okigwe during the sit-at-home.
Such false information can set the nation ablaze, hence the urgent need to free Nnamdi Kanu so as to put these unscrupulous characters out of business” COSEYL stated.
