The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris has issued a statement concerning the proposed sit-at-home order given by various Biafran groups to mark the Biafra Day celebration.

Various Biafran groups including the Indigenous People of Biafra, the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra and the Biafra Independence Movement had directed markets in the zone not to open on Tuesday, May 30, in continuation of their clamour for a separate nation for the Igbo.

But the police in a statement by the Force spokesman, Jimoh Moshood on Friday, May 26, in Abuja said they were deeply concerned with the security implications “with regards to the renewed hostilities and subversive propagandas aimed at undermining law and order in the South-Eastern states.”

Moshood said the IG had directed the Commissioners of Police in the affected states and their supervising Assistant Inspectors-General of Police to place their men and equipment on red alert to deal with the Biafran agitators.

He said, “The Commissioners of Police in the affected states and their supervising Assistant Inspectors-General of Police have been directed by the IG to be strict, polite, civil and firm in dealing with the situation and put all the police personnel and anti-riot equipment on red alert to deal decisively in accordance with the law with any eventuality from these groups.

“This is to prevent disruption of commercial activities, vehicular movements, and safety of lives and properties in some states of the federation considered to be flash/vulnerable points which have witnessed the unfortunate disturbance of public peace by these groups in the recent past.”

The Force said it considered the activities of the Biafran groups as not only unlawful but highly provocative and capable of causing a breach of the peace currently being enjoyed in the South East states and other parts of the country.

“The planned protests and orders for market closure and illegal unilateral self-imposed restrictions of vehicular movements by these groups in the affected states should be disregarded by all well meaning Nigerians,” the police advised.

Source – http://nigerianmonitor.com