Ebonyi government has warned residents of the state against obeying the sit-at-home order issued by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), ahead of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu’s court outing.

IPOB’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful had announced that a sit-at-home protest will be observed in all states in the South-East region on Tuesday January 18, the scheduled date for continuation of trial of the proscribed group’s leader. 

However reacting to the order, Ebonyi government directed that all markets and parks in the state should open for business as failure to do so will attract “severe punishment”.

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Nwachukwu Eze, Ebonyi commissioner for markets and parks said in a statement; 

“All markets and parks leaderships in Ebonyi are by this announcement directed to ensure that markets are open for businesses on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

“The state is not in any way part of the sit-at-home order by IPOB. Please note that strict compliance to this directive is very important as failure to do so will attract severe punishment.”