IPOB declares May 30 sit-at-home

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has declared May 30 sit-at-home day throughout Biafraland and Nigeria in remembrance of its fallen heroes and heroines.

The group urged religious institutions to offer special prayers on May 29 for Biafran heroes murdered in cold blood.

A statement yesterday by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said the day would be a time to remember victims of Boko Haram and herdsmen attacks.

It explained that Biafraland would be in total lock down as there would be no human, vehicular or animal movements.

The statement reads: “Churches, Mosques, Synagogues and Temples are encouraged to open their places of worship on the midnight of the May 29 for special prayers in remembrance of all who died because of violence and sponsored killings. Special vigils will be held at the homes of select Biafran heroes and heroines who were murdered in cold blood in Biafraland.

“This year’s remembrance and sit-at-home will be special because it will present a unique moment of shared pains and misery for families that lost loved ones to war, hunger, starvation, disease, terrorism and state-sponsored killings.

“We remember the heroic few who stood up against tyranny, especially those who sacrificed their lives to defend the defenseless and those who died because there was no one to defend them.

“Middle Belt and Yorubaland brethren are advised to join this historic sit-at-home to honour the memory of all who died unjustly in Nigeria.

“We call on the people of Southern Kaduna, Middle Belt, especially Benue, Adamawa, Nasarawa, Kogi, those affected by herdsmen terrorism in Ondo, Osun and other states in Yorubaland to join the great family of IPOB in observing a day of solemn prayer and sit-at-home to remember those who died unlawfully, even during the general elections.

“May 30 is now an annual remembrance initiated by IPOB worldwide to honour our fallen Biafran soldiers without whom this generation of Biafrans would not have existed. We owe our heroes and heroines of the 67-70 class a debt of gratitude and shall honour them annually until the end of time. We shall never forget them as long as this world exists.

“All IPOB families in the Diaspora must rally on the streets of their respective countries with written petitions ready to be submitted to the nearest United Nations offices and embassies of foreign missions in that country.”