Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has formally announced the permanent cancellation of the controversial Monday sit-at-home order across the South-East, effective Monday, February 9, 2026. The directive was issued while Kanu remains in custody at the Sokoto Correctional Centre and communicated through IPOB’s spokesperson, Comrade Emma Powerful.
In an official statement released on Sunday, IPOB declared that all markets, schools, offices, transport services and economic activities must resume fully and normally from Monday, adding that there is now “no need, excuse or justification” for anyone to stay at home on Mondays. The group described the new directive as the “clear and unequivocal order” of Nnamdi Kanu.
The announcement marks a significant reversal of the long-running weekly shutdown, which was first declared by IPOB in 2021 as a form of protest against Kanu’s prolonged detention and perceived marginalisation of the Igbo in Nigeria. Over the years, the sit-at-home order saw schools, markets, banks and businesses close across the South-East, disrupting economic and educational activities.
In addition to rescinding the sit-at-home order, IPOB warned that individuals or groups still attempting to enforce or propagate the directive henceforth are acting against Kanu’s command and are considered enemies of the Biafran cause. The group vowed to pursue such perpetrators “to the ends of the earth” until they are apprehended, underscoring fears that some factions have been spreading fear and intimidation using the sit-at-home label.
IPOB’s statement also cautioned against “false-flag operations” or intimidation tactics allegedly designed to frighten residents into observing the now-defunct practice. Citizens were urged to remain vigilant, calm and law-abiding as normal routines resume.
The development follows a noticeable shift in compliance during the February 2, 2026 Monday, when traders at the Onitsha Main Market opened for business in line with directives from Anambra State Governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo and amid enforcement by state authorities.
Governor Soludo had earlier closed the market for one week in response to ongoing non-compliance with government attempts to end the sit-at-home observance — a move that prompted protest and counter-statements from various groups.
The official cancellation of the Monday shutdown could ease economic losses in the region and help restore confidence among traders, workers, students and commuters who have faced repeated disruptions over several years. However, some residents remain cautious, noting that splinter groups opposed to IPOB leadership have previously continued enforcement despite official policy reversals.
As the region heads into what many hope will be a return to normalcy from Monday onward, attention will be on how both grassroots supporters and detractors respond to the new directive — and whether the ban on sit-at-home observance is sustained without intimidation or reprisals.
Among residents, reactions vary. Some see the end of the sit-at-home directive as a hopeful step toward normal economic life, particularly for parents eager to send their children to school and professionals tired of weekly disruptions. Others remain skeptical, noting the practice evolved over time into a broader expression of regional grievance and identity, not just an IPOB command.
In past years, the sit-at-home order was widely observed in parts of the South-East, leading to regular closure of businesses, schools and public services, and contributing to broader debates about diaspora activism, local compliance and security challenges.
Government authorities and civic leaders have called for peaceful compliance with the new directive, as communities prepare to transition out of weekly shutdowns. They urge citizens to focus on economic revitalisation while remaining vigilant against false claims or intimidation tactics.
As the first Monday without the sit-at-home order approaches, traders, civil servants and families across the South-East are expected to resume routine activities — a development many hope will mark the start of restored public confidence and regional economic growth.
