The Senate condemned the Monday sit-at-home order in the South East geopolitical zone and ordered the Federal Government (FG) to work with the Finnish Government to extradite a pro-Biafran agitator, Simon Ekpa, for prosecution.
The upper chamber on Wednesday also resolved to invite the Minister of Foreign Affairs (when appointed) and key stakeholders to conduct a comprehensive inquiry and bring other sponsors of the act to justice.
The Senate also rejected a recommendation for IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu’s release, citing the fact that the subject was still in court.
The illegal sit-at-home order is alleged to be imposed by a faction of the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) across five South-East states: Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Abia, and Ebonyi.
The unlawful order was issued in 2021 to press home demands for the release of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, who is being held by the Department of State Services (DSS) and prosecuted on terrorism-related charges.
BizWatch Nigeria recalls that the Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, stated that the Monday sit-at-home costs his state approximately ₦10 billion.
The Enugu State Government on July 24, 2023 sealed shops in key markets across the state that refused to do business in response to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) sit-at-home ultimatum.
This followed the governor’s ultimatum last week that firms in the state either open for business or risk being closed.
The operation was intended to demonstrate the government’s commitment, according to the Secretary to the State Government, Chidiebere Onyia, who led the team from the Enugu State Capital Territory Development Authority.
