Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has declared an end to the Monday sit-at-home in Anambra State and is offering amnesty to agitators still in hideouts.
“Following the unanimous agreement of our leaders across board, and the endorsement of the entire body of Christ, I am pleased to inform our people that today, Monday, April 4, 2022, marks the official end to the ‘Monday sit-at-home’ in Anambra State,” the governor tweeted on his official handle on Monday evening.
The former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor also said a Peace and Reconciliation Committee will be set up soon to address “all areas of sincere challenge, including interfacing with the Federal Government on behalf of all Prisoners of conscience”.
Soludo, who restated his government’s resolve to make the southeast state peaceful, also offered “amnesty to all our brothers in the various forests around us. Give us your guns, and trust us to help you forge a meaningful living”.
According to him, reclaiming the dignity of his people is a task that must be accomplished.
“I call for your support and prayers, as we have resolved to fiercely go after criminal elements who are out to threaten our peace and distort our development,” he said. “Anambra is the Light of the Nation, we must keep it so.”
The proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) had ordered the sit-at-home in the southeast following the rearrest of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu. According to the group, the order would be maintained until Kanu is freed by the Federal Government.
While the order continued to divide opinions among people in the region, the development created fear among residents. Typically, commercial activities are grounded in some parts of the region on Monday, raising concerns that the move may cripple the economy.
Although the group later said it has cancelled the sit-at-home, several residents still observed it for fear of being attacked.