The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has announced a sit-at-home scheduled for Monday, February 2, 2026, across the South-East states of Anambra, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi and Imo, saying the move is in support of traders at the Onitsha Main Market.
The declaration followed a recent directive by Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, ordering the closure of the Onitsha Main Market for one week. The governor cited the continued observance of the sit-at-home first declared by IPOB on July 30, 2021, as the reason for the decision.
Soludo had warned that the action was damaging the state’s economy and cautioned residents against complying with further sit-at-home orders.
Traders at the market, however, said their action was a show of solidarity with the detained leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, who is currently facing trial on charges connected to separatist agitation.
In a statement released on Friday and obtained by our correspondent, IPOB accused the Anambra State Governor of collaborating with what it described as “Abuja collaborators” to undermine the rights of Igbo traders and the Biafran self-determination struggle.
The group announced what it termed a “Biafra-wide solidarity strike,” calling for a complete halt of economic activities across the South-East and other Biafran territories on the scheduled date.
The statement read in part, “The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), under the leadership of 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.
“This action is a direct response to the closure of the Onitsha Main Market by the Anambra State Governor and threats of further punitive measures against traders for observing the Monday sit-at-home.”
IPOB described the closure of the market as an assault on the livelihoods of traders, maintaining that participation in the sit-at-home was voluntary and not enforced by the group.
The organisation urged residents of the South-East to remain indoors on the day and avoid all commercial activities, while calling on supporters to act peacefully and within the law.
“On Monday, February 2, 2026, we call on all Biafrans across Anambra, Abia, Imo, Enugu, Ebonyi and beyond to observe this solidarity strike peacefully,” the statement added.
IPOB also restated its demand for the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu and accused the Anambra State Government of heightening tensions through what it described as economic intimidation of traders.
As of the time of filing this report, the Anambra State Government had yet to respond to the latest declaration.
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