Biafra Gov’t in exile threatens month-long lockdown in South-East over Nnamdi Kanu’s detention

The Simon Ekpa-led Biafra Republic Government In-Exile (BRGIE) has announced plans for a month-long lockdown of Nigerian government offices across the South-East region, citing ongoing insecurity and the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Ekpa made this declaration in a statement released through his official X handle on Friday. The decision was reportedly reached during a virtual meeting of the BRGIE cabinet.

The lockdown is set to commence on August 28, 2024, and will run until September 26, 2024. It will impact government offices in the South-East states of Imo, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi, and Anambra.

Ekpa is demanding the immediate release of Nnamdi Kanu and all other Biafrans detained by the Nigerian government, as well as the demilitarization of the South-East region.

“The Biafra government has just approved the lockdown of Nigeria institutions in some parts of Biafraland following the continued killings of Christians, and Biafrans within Biafra territory, invasion of churches, abducting worshippers.

“The Biafra government has decided to lockdown the following Nigeria institutions in some parts of Biafra territory for 30 days, from 28.8.2024 to 26.9.2024.

“We demand total withdrawal of all Nigeria security forces from Biafra territory.

“We demand the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and all other Biafrans that are being detained in various locations in Nigeria, including in the far North”, he stated.

News360 Nigeria recalls that despite the IPOB calling off its earlier declared Monday sit-at-home, the Ekpa-led BRGIE continued to impose it on the South-East region.