By Ezinwanne Onwuka
(Abuja) Every Monday, cities across Nigeria’s southeast fall silent. Markets shut, roads empty, schools remain closed, and millions of residents stay indoors. What began as a peaceful protest in 2021, led by the separatist group the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has become a protracted crisis. Four years on, it has claimed more than 700 lives and cost the region an estimated $4.8 billion in economic losses, according to Lagos-based SBM Intelligence.
Origins of the Sit-at-Home Protest
The sit-at-home order was introduced by IPOB in August 2021, following the arrest and extradition of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, from Kenya to Nigeria on charges of terrorism and treason. Kanu had initially been arrested in 2015 but fled while on bail. Since his 2021 re-arrest, his detention has been marked by prolonged legal delays and denied bail.
The sit-at-home order is rooted in a deep history. IPOB seeks to restore Biafra, the short-lived republic declared during Nigeria’s 1967–1970 civil war, which left more than one million dead.
Initially, the protest saw high voluntary compliance—82.6 percent in 2021—by Igbos showing solidarity with Kanu. But the movement quickly devolved into violence. Armed groups, often referred to as “unknown gunmen” and sometimes claiming ties to IPOB, began enforcing the shutdown through intimidation, arson, and outright killings.
“Individuals or groups enforcing the order, sometimes armed, have engaged in acts such as setting fire to commercial vehicles and attacking those who defy the directive,” SBM Intelligence reported.
Human and Economic Toll
According to SBM Intelligence’s report titled “Four Years of Disruption: Unmasking the Impact of IPOB’s Sit-at-Home Order in Southeast Nigeria”, the economic consequences have been staggering. Major commercial centers such as Onitsha Main Market in Anambra State and Ariaria International Market in Abia State shut down every Monday, freezing trade in the entire region.
The region lost over ₦7.6 trillion (about $4.8 billion) within the first two years of the protest.
Daily, the transport sector alone suffers losses of ₦13 billion ($8.2 million), as logistics operations grind to a halt.
The human toll is equally grave. Between 2021 and 2025, 332 attacks linked to the sit-at-home directive were recorded, resulting in 776 deaths. Imo State bore the highest brunt with 130 incidents and 332 deaths, followed by Anambra with 202 deaths.
IPOB Denies Responsibility for Violence
IPOB continues to deny responsibility for the violence. In a statement following the killing of five soldiers in Obingwa County in Abia State on May 30, 2024, during an enforcement incident, IPOB spokesman Emma Powerful rejected any link to the attack.
“Anybody mentioning IPOB as responsible… is under the control of something,” he said. “Those responsible… are politicians.”
A spokesperson told Reuters, “Those causing the killings are criminals recruited by the government to demonize IPOB.”
Despite IPOB’s denials, SBM’s report alleges the group’s tactics have included arson, looting, and assassinations, creating “a climate of fear.”
Factional Disputes and Continued Enforcement
In July 2023, Kanu attempted to halt the protests from detention, issuing a handwritten directive cancelling all sit-at-home orders.
“Anybody still engaging in sit-at-home is not my disciple,” Kanu wrote.
But his appeal was ignored by Simon Ekpa, a Finland-based Nigerian expat who leads a splinter IPOB faction. Ekpa continued to enforce the order through the Biafra Liberation Army, using threats and social media to call for compliance.
He was arrested by Finnish authorities in November 2024.
“Mr. Ekpa used social media platforms to incite violence… causing significant disruptions in Southeast Nigeria,” said Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement.
State Response and Public Sentiment
Southeast state governments have repeatedly condemned the protest and urged citizens to resume normal life. Public workers have been threatened with sanctions for noncompliance, and security forces promised protection.
Still, fear dominates. SBM found that just 29 percent of residents actively support the protest today—down from over 80 percent in 2021. But many stay home to avoid violence.
“IPOB is greater than Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and Simon Ekpa. Their arrest cannot stop the movement,” Emeka Nnaji, a resident of Enugu, told TruthNigeria.
A trader at the Abakaliki International Market in Ebonyi State, who asked for anonymity, told TruthNigeria over the toll on business. “We lose money every Monday. No sales, no movement. I support Biafra, but this sit-at-home is destroying us,” he said.
To end the violence, Nigerian security forces launched military operations such as Python Dance, Crocodile Smile, and Operation UDO KA (which means “peace is supreme”). Yet, these operations have faced criticism for alleged human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings, extortion, and torture.
The Nigerian government declared IPOB a terrorist group in 2017—a designation rejected by the Trump administration. In January 2025, Nigeria’s Court of Appeal upheld the proscription, though IPOB is currently challenging it at the Supreme Court.
The question remains whether arrests, denials, or court rulings will end a protest movement born of historic grievances and stoked by continuing violence and economic collapse.
Ezinwanne Onwuka reports on politics and conflict for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
