A new report says more than 700 people have died in the Southeast due to sit-at-home violence since 2021.
The report, titled ‘Four Years of Disruption: Unmasking the Impact of IPOB’s Sit-at-Home Order in Southeast Nigeria’, was released on Monday.
It explores the human, economic, and social toll of the sit-at-home order introduced by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The policy began in August 2021 and has since turned into a major issue across the Southeast.
The sit-at-home order was first meant to protest the detention of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu. On 9 August 2021, the first protest took place. Many joined in out of fear and sympathy.
“Though the sit-at-home protests began as symbolic acts of civil disobedience, they quickly took on a more coercive character,” the report said.
Armed groups, often called “unknown gunmen,” started attacking those who tried to ignore the order. Businesses, schools, and public transport were all shut down in major towns like Onitsha and Aba every Monday.
Surveys show that only about 29% of residents still support the protests. But many others stay home simply because they fear violence.
Imo State Hit Hardest by Violence
According to the report, Imo State has seen the worst violence linked to the sit-at-home order. Ebonyi State has recorded the fewest incidents.
Markets, shops, and transport services stay closed on protest days. Economic activities freeze, costing the region heavily.
IPOB formed the Eastern Security Network (ESN) in December 2020 to “protect Igbo lives and property.” However, the actions of armed enforcers appeared to have led to unintended consequences, leading to sometimes indiscriminate attacks.
Security agencies have struggled to contain the violence. Many roads remain empty on protest days. People are afraid to move around.
Massive Economic and Educational Losses
The report stated that in the first two years alone, the Southeast lost over ₦7.6 trillion. The transport sector lost up to ₦13 billion daily during peak protests.
“Estimates suggest the region has lost over ₦7.6 trillion within the first two years alone,” the report stated.
The education sector also suffered heavily. Students missed key classes and national exams like WAEC and NECO. Many parents fear sending children to school on Mondays.
These disruptions are expected to hurt the long-term development of the region.
Many residents now want a peaceful resolution. They say the region cannot afford more deaths, fear, or setbacks.
The latest order of sit-at-home for May 30, by the separatist have been resisted by some other groups, including the Njiko Igbo Forum (NIF) which argued the order was both detrimental to the economic prosperity of the region, and needlessly confrontational to state authorities.
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