IPOB urges Southeast residents to ignore Sit-at-Home order

The leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has urged residents of Nigeria’s Southeast to disregard a two-day sit-at-home order issued by an unidentified group.

In a statement released on Monday, IPOB clarified that the directive, which has been circulating on social media, did not come from their pro-Biafra organization and should be ignored by the public.

Recent audio and video messages have been shared online, warning Southeast residents to avoid the streets and urging parents to keep their children home from school.

The messages also advised market and shop owners to close their businesses, threatening consequences for those who fail to comply with the sit-at-home order set for Monday, October 21, and Tuesday, October 22.

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Responding to the false directive, IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful emphasized that IPOB had not declared any such order and condemned those responsible for spreading it.

“IPOB did not declare any sit-at-home order on October 21 and 22,” Powerful said, making it clear that the group had no involvement in the widely circulated instructions.

Powerful attributed the illegal order to “criminal elements” and “Finland-based infiltrators” who are attempting to destabilize the region, stressing that these individuals are not part of IPOB.

“Biafrans must understand that IPOB does not declare unnecessary sit-at-home orders. We have long suspended such actions, and anyone declaring it now is a criminal element that should be ignored,” Powerful added.

The spokesperson further explained that IPOB chose not to initially address the issue to avoid giving undue attention to the false order. However, with growing confusion among residents, the group deemed it necessary to clarify that the call for a sit-at-home had no legitimacy.

IPOB also reassured Southeast residents that they should continue with their daily activities without fear of reprisal, stating that the group remains committed to peaceful and lawful advocacy for its cause.

The organization’s firm stance against the sit-at-home order comes as tensions rise in the region, where frequent directives have often led to disruptions in business and education.

As the Southeast braces for the alleged two-day protest, IPOB’s leadership has made it clear that any sit-at-home orders not officially declared by their organization should be treated as criminal attempts to create instability. The group urged residents to remain vigilant and avoid falling prey to such divisive tactics.