Biafra: No more sit-at-home in South East – IPOB

The Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) has abrogated its sit-at-home directive in South-East Nigeria, saying the development is to embrace peace negotiations organised by the Anambra State Government.

NAN reports that IPOB yielded to the appeal by the Anambra Government and traditional rulers to pave the way for peace since all Igbo stakeholders and religious leaders have declared their intention to find a lasting solution to insecurity and incessant sit-at-home directives in the South East.

The decision was disclosed by the Chairman, Anambra Traditional Rulers Council, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, during one-day peacebuilding and security meeting held in Awka on Saturday.

Igwe Achebe, who is also the Obi of Onitsha, said after its meeting with the group on Friday, April 1, it was agreed that a call to release the IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, would be a step toward dousing the tension in the state.

He said that after the meeting, the group placed a call to all its members to sheathe their swords, put down their guns and go the way of dialogue.

The document pointed out that under Abba Bello as the Managing Director, the bank made all the facts known to the ‘House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on the Assessment and Status of All Recovered Loots, Movable and Immovable Assets from 2002-2020 by agencies of the Federal Government of Nigeria for effective/efficient management and utilisation’ in its letter dated June 21, 2021, and in the engagements that followed.

The bank said it had in the past five years contributed to the objectives of the Federal Government under the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan and that it engaged significantly with stakeholders with improved relationship, manifesting in collaborative efforts towards policy intervention and increased focus on the non-oil export sector.

It added, “We also introduced aggressive debt recovery and proactive loan work out measures leading to an increase in overall recoveries from only N200m in December 2016 to N10.2bn and US$3.25m between January 2017 and February 2022. In addition, assets worth about N7bn are currently up for sale.”