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Two Weeks Sit-at-Home Order: COAS Orders Raid on IPOB Hideouts
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The Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has ordered troops to seize control of areas where the Indigenous People of Biafra enforce their sit-at-home order throughout the South-East states.
The order came after a Finland-based pro-Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa, announced that there would be a two-week sit-at-home in the South-East region from July 31.
According to him, the order was to demand the immediate and unconditional release of the detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, as well as facilitate the freedom of Biafra nation, among others.
Ekpa warned that failure to comply with the sit-at-home order would attract ‘heavy consequences’.
However, speaking in an interview with The PUNCH, the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, declared that such an announcement was unlawful and would not be condoned.
He said the troops of the 82 Division had been given an order to work with other security agencies to ensure citizens go about their businesses freely.
Onyema said, “The renewed threat by IPOB to compel the people in southeastern Nigeria to sit at home is not only appalling but a violation of the fundamental rights of southeastern Nigerians and, therefore, unlawful. This will never be condoned.
“The Chief of Army Staff has handed down clear directives to the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army operating in synergy with other security agencies to ensure robust patrols to dominate all flashpoints and emplace measures to ensure citizens are free to go about their legitimate businesses.
“Strangely, Simon Ekpa, a notorious terrorist and self-acclaimed leader of IPOB, is in Finland making a living for himself and his family, but ordering the people to shut down their means of livelihood by sitting at home.”
The army spokesman called on Nigerians in the South-East region to disregard the sit-at-home order, urging them to support the security forces to defeat IPOB.
Onyema said, “We implore the good and enterprising people of the South-East to shun all forms of cajoling or threats aimed at unlawfully compelling them to be reclusive by sitting at home. We urge them to join forces with the security operatives to resist this illegality perpetrated by IPOB.”
Similarly,the police have vowed to resist the sit-at-home order in any part of the South-East.
The Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, told The PUNCH that the police had killed and arrested non-state actors enforcing the order, adding that the force would not rest on its oars.
Adejobi disclosed that the police were keeping a watch on the sponsors of the agitators.
He said, “The police will not allow any unlawful order to stand in any part of Nigeria. The sit-at-home order is illegal and unacceptable. We have suppressed and neutralised the non-state actors who have been trying to enforce the order. We have arrested many of them and recovered their weapons.
“We will not relent in our efforts to maintain law and order in all parts of Nigeria, and we assure the people in the South-East to go about their lawful businesses as we have emplaced adequate security measures to protect them. We are keeping watch on the sponsors of these agitators who cause pain and sorrow in the areas.
Meanwhile, the Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, visited the headquarters of the Nigerian Navy in Abuja to seek support for the abolition of sit-at-home in the state.
The governor had, on June 2, declared sit-at-home banned in Enugu, saying it was injurious to the economy of the state.
Despite his declaration, however, sit-at-home remains a feature of the state on Mondays.
Speaking to journalists during his visit to Abuja, Mbah said attracting investors to Enugu State would be an uphill task if sit-at-home persists.
The governor said, “If we must deal with the root causes of insecurity we have in our country, we must adopt both the kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to dealing with insecurity, and we felt that the big elephant in the room is to address those activities that may be an inhibitor to bringing in investors to our state.
“We identified insecurity as one of those inhibitors; we felt that it was a clog in the wheel of our continued development, and that was why, immediately after I assumed office, I convened a Security Council meeting, and following that, we made a pronouncement that we wanted the sit-at-home to end. This is because we have zero tolerance for that.
“There is no way we’ll be able to achieve the exponential picture we have painted, those massive promises about growing our economy and eradicating poverty, it will not happen if we don’t deal with that problem, and of course that requires we tighten our security architecture, and mobilise our security agencies in our state to be able to deal with it.”
Mba said he looked up to the partnership with the Navy to help bolster security in Enugu State and uphold the unity of the country.
He said, “Thus far, we are getting the required support from the security agencies, and we are hoping to see them join hands with us to be able to deal with this big elephant.
“When I was sworn in, I took an oath to defend the unity of this country, and that is exactly what we’ll do, and we are not going to endorse any behavior that is outside that.So, what we are saying, in effect, is that we look forward to partnering with the Navy in those areas that are necessary to do so to achieve one common goal of building one unifying country, peace, and security.”
The Punch
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has announced a N500m Election Violence Victims Endowment Fund for verified victims and families affected by pre-election violence in the state.
Adeleke also disclosed that his family, through the Springtime Development Foundation, would provide full scholarships up to university level for the children and dependants of those who lost their lives in the violence.
The governor made the announcement on Wednesday in a statement issued after receiving his Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission following his re-election.
He said the fund would support verified victims and affected families, while a Verification and Relief Committee, chaired by the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adewale Olumide Egbedun, would oversee the identification of victims and distribution of the support.
“This is not a political intervention. It is a humanitarian responsibility. No eligible victim will be excluded because of political affiliation, religion, ethnicity, gender or social status. In grief, there is no political party. In our common humanity, we are one people,” he said.
The governor also named some of those killed in the violence, including Ezekiel Olapade, Aderogba Ajayi, Remi Abass and Kolade Eluyera.
“We remember Ezekiel Olapade, Aderogba Ajayi, Remi Abass, Kolade Eluyera, and every other victim of electoral violence. Regardless of political affiliation, they were first our brothers, sisters and fellow citizens. To their families, your pain is our pain, and your loved ones will never be reduced to mere statistics,” Adeleke said.
He said the decision to establish the fund followed the loss of lives, injuries, destruction of property and livelihoods recorded during the electoral process.
“It is deeply painful that any family should have to bury a loved one because of politics. No election, political office or ambition is worth the life of a single citizen,” he said.
Adeleke also called for unity in the state following the governorship election, assuring residents who voted for other candidates that he remained governor of the entire state.
“The election is over. The campaign is over. The contest is over. Now is the time to govern, unite, heal and build,” he said.
He added, “To those who voted for me, I thank you. To those who voted for another candidate, I thank you for participating in our democracy. I remain Governor to all, and together we must place Osun State above politics.”
The governor said his administration would continue to focus on infrastructure, healthcare, education, workers’ welfare, youth empowerment and economic development, while strengthening accountability, inclusion and transparency.
Adeleke, who described his renewed mandate as a fresh responsibility to serve the people, said, “You have given me another opportunity to serve, and I accept this responsibility with humility. I will work harder. I will listen more. I will do more.”
He added, “Today, we are grateful for victory, but sober in remembrance. Tomorrow, we return to work.”
Adeleke was declared winner of the governorship election after polling 511,067 votes to defeat the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Oyebamiji, who scored 409,849 votes.
The governor won in 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji secured victory in 11.
The Punch
The management of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UniZik), Awka, Anambra State, has ordered an immediate, comprehensive and impartial investigation after a viral video showing students assaulting a lecturer over an alleged sexual misconduct sparked outrage online.
The incident that occurred on Saturday on the Awka campus.
Footage that circulated widely on social media on Saturday captured some UniZik students physically assaulting and rough-handling a lecturer from the Department of Chinese Studies, Faculty of Arts.
According to witnesses and the circulating videos, the lecturer was allegedly caught attempting to molest a female student within the university premises before students intervened.
The clips have drawn widespread condemnation and calls for a thorough probe, with many Nigerians debating both the allegation and the students’ resort to violence.
The lecturer’s identity has not yet been officially released by the university.
In a statement issued at the weekend, the Director of Information and Public Relations, Aloysius Attah, said the institution is “deeply saddened” by the development.
The management strongly condemned jungle justice and self-help while also taking the sexual misconduct allegation seriously.
“The Management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, has received reports of the alleged physical assault and attack on a lecturer in the Department of Chinese Studies, Faculty of Arts, following an allegation of attempted sexual misconduct involving a female student of the University,” the statement read.
Attah confirmed that authorities have directed an immediate investigation to “establish the facts and circumstances surrounding the incident.”
UniZik says the investigation will cover two tracks:
1. The sexual misconduct allegation — to determine if the lecturer attempted to molest the female student.
2. The assault on the lecturer — to identify students involved in the physical attack and address breaches of campus discipline.
“The university remains committed to upholding the highest standards of discipline, academic integrity and the safety and dignity of all members of the university community,” Attah added.
Sexual harassment allegations in Nigerian universities have repeatedly sparked protests and policy reviews. UniZik itself has faced pressure in recent years to strengthen its anti-sexual harassment framework.
At the same time, university authorities are under pressure to curb vigilante actions on campus, warning that mob justice undermines due process and endangers lives.
For now, the lecturer has been taken off active duty pending the outcome of the probe, according to campus sources.
UniZik said further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses and urged students and staff to remain calm and allow due process.
The 2026 World Conference of Zion Prayer Movement Outreach will be held next week at Zion City, the permanent site of the ministry at Mgbichi, Ngor Okpala, Imo State.
A press statement released by Zion Ministry in Lagos on Friday disclosed that the three-day crusade will begin on Friday, August 21, and end on Sunday, August 23, 2026.
The World Conference is the largest annual gathering organized by Zion Prayer Movement Outreach and attracts participants from across Nigeria, Africa, Europe, North America, Asia, the Middle East and others parts of the world.
It is the Third time the annual conference will be held outside Lagos, and the crusade will mark the end of the 100 Days Fasting and Prayer started in May by the ministry. Like in previous editions, hundreds of thousands of Zionites from across the world are expected to attend this year’ conference.
The Annual 100 Days Fasting and Prayers is one of the ministry’s most significant spiritual programmes during which members engage in a season of prayers, fasting, worship, Biblical reflection, thanksgiving and fellowship. The programme culminates in the closing World Conference drawing worshippers, pilgrims, clergy, volunteers and media representatives.
The Spiritual Director of Zion, Evangelist Chukwuebuka Anozie Obi, said that the crusade is expected to record thousands of people giving up their lives to Christ, awesome miracles, instant healings, deliverance from bondage, salvation of souls and verifiable testimonies.
