Banks in the South-East region of Nigeria have started bringing down the Nigerian flag from their poles, SaharaReporters has learnt.
This comes a few days after the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) urged its members to remove all Nigerian flags mounted in “Biafra land.”
The group had also declared another sit-at-home on October 1, 2021, when Nigeria will be celebrating its 61st Independence anniversary.
Meanwhile, sources in the region told SaharaReporters that even though IPOB had directed that banks should be left alone, the financial institutions themselves have started bringing down their Nigerian flags over fear of attacks.
Pictures of banks in the region without flags on their poles have circulated on social media.
One of the executives of IPOB, Chika Edoziem, had on Friday said the separatist group would lock down the entire South-East region on October 1.
He said, “The 1st of October declared total shutdown in Biafra land. There shall be no movement in Biafra land on the 1st of October being Nigerian Independence day. Again from tonight, all Nigerian flags mounted anywhere in Biafra land must be brought down; banks exempted.
“IPOB leadership will communicate to banks directly and give them the reason why they must peacefully bring down the flag. Otherwise, we do it ourselves in our own way.”
The leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, has been detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) since the third week of June following his arrest in Kenya and repatriation to Nigeria.
