The lead counsel for the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has admonished residents of Nigeria’s South-East region to ignore a “sit-at-home” order scheduled for Monday, February 2, describing it as fraudulent and misleading.
The order, widely circulated on social media and attributed to IPOB’s spokesman, Emma Powerful, called for a total shutdown of economic activities across the five South-East states of Anambra, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi, and Imo, allegedly in solidarity with traders at the Onitsha Main Market.
However, in a statement released on Saturday, Ejiofor said the source behind the announcement had been compromised and was acting against the collective interests of Ndi-Igbo.
He described the sit-at-home order as a phantom and a calculated falsehood that does not represent the position of the peaceful IPOB movement.
Ejiofor said IPOB has formally and decisively distanced itself from the directive and urged residents to continue their lawful activities without fear or intimidation.
He warned that any communication attributed to the so-called Emma Powerful platform should be treated with extreme suspicion, if not outright contempt.
The lawyer’s comments come amid renewed debate over the impact of sit-at-home orders in the South-East.
While supporters say the actions are aimed at drawing attention to the continued detention of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, critics argue that the shutdowns have caused significant economic losses and hardship for residents.
Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has also reiterated his opposition to sit-at-home actions, insisting that markets must remain open and that economic activities should not be disrupted under any guise.
