(DDM) – The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has announced a region-wide sit-at-home across Nigeria’s Southeast on Monday, February 2, 2026, escalating tensions between the separatist group and the Anambra State government.
The planned shutdown will affect Anambra, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi and Imo states, according to a statement released by IPOB on Friday.
Why IPOB is calling the sit-at-home
IPOB says the action is in solidarity with traders at the Onitsha Main Market, Nigeria’s largest market by volume, following its recent closure by the Anambra State government.
Earlier this week, Governor Chukwuma Soludo ordered the market shut for one week, citing what he described as continued compliance by traders with IPOB’s long-running Monday sit-at-home directive.
Soludo warned that the weekly shutdowns were crippling Anambra’s economy and said the government would no longer tolerate economic paralysis driven by separatist actions.
IPOB, however, argues that the sit-at-home is a voluntary expression of solidarity with its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who is facing terrorism-related charges brought by the federal government.
What IPOB is saying
In its statement, IPOB accused Governor Soludo of collaborating with “Abuja interests” to undermine Igbo traders and the broader Biafran self-determination movement.
The group described the closure of Onitsha Main Market as an attack on livelihoods and announced what it called a “Biafra-wide solidarity strike.”
IPOB called on residents across the Southeast and other areas it considers part of Biafra to stay indoors and suspend all commercial activities on February 2.
At the same time, the group urged supporters to remain peaceful and law-abiding during the sit-at-home.
Traders caught in the middle
Many traders in the Southeast say they are trapped between fear of violence and pressure from the government.
While IPOB insists it does not enforce compliance, past sit-at-home orders have been followed by attacks, arson and intimidation by unidentified gunmen, leading many residents to stay indoors out of caution.
State governments across the Southeast have repeatedly blamed IPOB and affiliated groups for the violence, claims the group denies.
The broader context
IPOB has maintained varying degrees of sit-at-home actions since July 2021, shortly after Nnamdi Kanu was rearrested and extradited to Nigeria.
Although IPOB later announced the suspension of weekly sit-at-home orders, compliance has continued sporadically, particularly on days Kanu appears in court.
The federal government has designated IPOB a terrorist organization, a label the group rejects.
What happens next
As of the time of this report, the Anambra State government has not issued a response to IPOB’s latest declaration.
Security agencies are expected to monitor developments closely as February 2 approaches, amid concerns about economic disruption and public safety.
For residents of the Southeast, the announcement once again raises familiar questions about security, governance, and the unresolved political tensions surrounding the Biafra movement.
