Senate Rejects Motion to Release Nnamdi Kanu Amidst Sit-At-Home Protests
The Senate has turned down a motion seeking the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). Senator Osita Izunaso (Imo West) moved the motion in an attempt to address the ongoing sit-at-home orders enforced by unknown gunmen in the South-East region.
In his motion, Senator Izunaso, along with other lawmakers from the South-East, expressed concern over the continuous loss of innocent lives and the destruction of properties worth over a trillion naira due to the sit-at-home actions. The economic activities in the region have been severely disrupted, leading to financial losses for businesses, workers, and the local economy. Investors have been leaving the area due to the instability caused by these actions.
The sit-at-home protests have not only affected economic activities but have also disrupted education, leading to missed classes and delays in academic progress for students. The disruptions of essential public services like healthcare, transportation, and waste disposal have also posed severe impacts on the well-being and safety of the general population living in the South-East.
It should be noted that IPOB had declared a sit-at-home order every Monday across the South-East in August 2021 to protest Nnamdi Kanu's detention. While the separatist group eventually suspended the order, a faction of IPOB led by Simon Ekpa has continued to enforce sit-at-home orders in the region, despite the suspension.