Many Nigerian-owned shops in Sierra Leone will close on Monday 26 July in solidarity with the Biafra separatist leader, Nnamdi Kanu who is due to appear in court in Abuja on the same day.
According to Mazi Chidi Tendency Uchendu, the National Coordinator in Sierra Leone of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), their shops will be closed “in support of our leader who was kidnapped in Kenya and is due to appear in court on…Monday”.
Early this month the Biafra separatist leader was arrested by Nigerian authorities in Kenya and taken back home and is due to appear in court on Monday on allegations of terrorism and incitement. He had fled the country in 2017 while on bail.
The controversial Kanu has called for independence for Biafra and has made broadcasts from Radio Biafra which is a digital station he founded and ran from his London home, where is also a citizen.
The leader of the mainly Igbo organization in Sierra Leone, says they have more than 500 registered IPOB members in the country but that their number exceeds 2,000.
“You will see our impact on that Monday with the number of shops that will close,” he told Politico.
He said they wanted to show solidarity with their leader and that they also supported an independent Biafra state.
The Nigerian high commission in Freetown could not be reached for a comment.
Copyright © Politico Online (23/07/21)
