Residents panic as police begin aerial patrol in Abia ahead of May 30 Biafra Day celebrations (photo)

- The Abia state police command commences aerial and land surveillance ahead of the May 30 Biafra Day celebration

- The commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Adeleye Oyebade, says the surveillance is part of the command’s security arrangement

- Oyebade assures residence of Abia that their fundamental human rights would be guarded as provided in the constitution

There is palpable tension in Umuahia, the capital of Abia state ahead of a sit-at-home protest by the Indigenous People of Biafra and other pro-Biafra groups in the state scheduled for May 30.

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The Abia state police command on Monday, May 29 commenced aerial and land surveillance ahead of the May 30 Biafra Day celebration.

The commissioner of police in the state, Mr Adeleye Oyebade, who confirmed the exercise said the surveillance is part of the command’s security arrangement, The Punch reports.

Oyebade urged all residents in the state to go about their lawful business without entertaining any fear of molestation.

He assured residence of Abia that their fundamental human rights would be guarded as provided in the constitution.

However, some residents said they may not open their place of businesses for fear of being attacked by IPOB members who had distributed flyers to shop owners in order to enforce the sit-at-home order.

Similarly, some private schools in the state capital have said they will be closed on May 30, to avoid any unforeseen circumstances.

They urged parents to keep their children at home until Wednesday, May 31.

Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) has directed all state commissioners of police to place their states on red alert ahead of the planned sit-at-home order by pro-Biafa groups in the country.

The Imo state, commissioner of police, Chris Ezike, in a statement by the state police public relations officer, Andrew Enwerem, described the sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and other pro-Biafra groups as unpatriotic and inciting.

NAIJ.com learnt that the command said its attention has been drawn to publications by pro-Biafra groups directing Nigerians to sit at home on 30th May, 2017 in remembrance of the struggle for Biafra Independence.

In the NAIJ.com video below, a retired Major in the Nigerian Army, Ken Chioma Obi speaks on the agitation for Biafra.