The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has declared Monday, February 2, 2026, a sit-at-home across the five states of the South-East, in what it described as a solidarity action with traders in Onitsha.
The declaration comes amid rising tension between the group and the Anambra State Government following Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s directive ordering traders to resume normal business activities on Mondays. The governor had warned that continued observance of sit-at-home orders would attract sanctions, including prolonged market closures.
In a statement issued on Friday by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, IPOB described the planned sit-at-home as peaceful and accused the state government of intimidation and economic suppression of traders.
According to the group, the decision was triggered by the recent one-week closure of the Onitsha Main Market by the Anambra State Government. IPOB alleged that traders were further threatened with month-long shutdowns, revocation of land ownership, demolition of shops, and repurposing of commercial properties if they failed to comply with the government’s directive.
“The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, under the leadership of our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, hereby declares a Biafra-wide solidarity strike — a complete lockdown of all economic activities across Igboland and wider Biafran territories — on Monday, February 2, 2026,” the statement read.
IPOB said the action was a direct response to what it termed the “tyrannical actions” of Governor Soludo and an expression of unity with traders who it claimed were being unfairly targeted for observing Monday sit-at-home in solidarity with its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
The group insisted that the sit-at-home would be non-violent and urged residents of the South-East to comply in order to avoid confrontation.
The Anambra State Government has yet to officially respond to the latest declaration. However, authorities have consistently maintained that sit-at-home orders are illegal and harmful to the region’s economy.
