*Monday declared special prayers in South-East
The Chairman, Anambra Traditional Rulers Council, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, has said that the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra has cancelled the Monday sit-at-home in the South-East.
Achebe said this during a one-day peace building and security meeting in Awka on Saturday.
The Monday sit-at-home order, which was issued by the IPOB to press home their agitations, had been reportedly cancelled.
A confirmation, which was made on Friday through a statement by the group’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, stated that “The IPOB has cancelled Monday sit-at-home order and anybody or group enforcing the relaxed order is neither from the IPOB nor from the IPOB volunteer group.”
In a meeting which included the Speaker of the Anambra Assembly, Uche Okafor, Vice President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Damin Ogene-Okeke, and several others, the IPOB’s decision was said to have followed an appeal by the Anambra State government and traditional rulers to embrace peace.
The group said the IPOB has ended its sit-at-home directive in the South-East and embraced peace negotiations being organised by the Anambra State government.
Igwe Achebe said that stakeholders have continually held meetings on the way forward to achieve a lasting resolution of the impasse with the agitators.
He said that after its meeting with the group on Friday, it was agreed that a call to release the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, would be a great step to dousing the tension in the state and the region.
He said that after the meeting, the group placed a call to all IPOB members to sheathe their swords, put down their guns and go the way of dialogue.
“We call on all who had taken the way of gun to put down their guns and embrace the peace moves from the government to better themselves,” Achebe said.
He added that the state government had declared Monday, April 4, for prayers aimed at seeking God’s face to restore a lasting peace in Anambra and the South-East.
“It was agreed that on April 4, all churches in Igboland and the South-East region will join in prayers to seek God’s forgiveness and to restore peace in the area.
“Igboland has lost so much in economic and social development of the zone and we are tired of the situation and want peace,” the traditional ruler said.
“It is agreed that on Sunday, April 3, all churches will announce the IPOB decision to their faithful to come out on Monday at 11am to their various churches to offer prayers to God for the restoration of peace and economic development,” he said.
