David-Chyddy Elekein Awka

In a recent statement, the Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL), a prominent socio-political youth organization in the southeastern region of Nigeria, strongly condemned the ongoing sit-at-home orders impacting the area.

Mr. Goodluck Ibem, the President-General of COSEYL, expressed the group’s alarm over the arbitrary nature of these directives, which originate from unknown sources and are disseminated primarily through social media. “These orders come from anonymous individuals via voice notes and videos, causing widespread fear and compliance among the population. This cannot continue; it’s madness that must end immediately,” he stated.

Ibem criticized the absurdity of people being instructed to stay indoors by unknown figures, calling it a “joke taken too far.” He emphasized the need for immediate action, urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to release Nnamdi Kanu, asserting that such a move could foster peace in the region. “The release of Nnamdi Kanu is vital not just for the economy but also for the security of the southeast and the nation as a whole,” he added.

The group also pointed out the irony that despite the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Simon Ekpa, leader of a breakaway faction, distancing themselves from the latest two-day sit-at-home order, the order still managed to disrupt government and private businesses for two days. “It raises the question: who is actually behind these sit-at-home orders?”

Furthermore, COSEYL criticized the spreading of misinformation, citing instances where old footage of vehicles on fire from a 2022 incident was used to falsely claim it occurred recently in Okigwe, Imo State.

In conclusion, the coalition urged President Tinubu to take decisive action regarding Kanu’s release as a means to combat economic sabotage that hampers growth and development in the region and beyond.