KEY POINTS
- IPOB insists Nnamdi Kanu’s release will end sit-at-home protests.
- The group urges Governor Soludo to stop harassing residents.
- Southeast traders keep businesses closed on Mondays despite government warnings.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have reaffirmed that the release of their arrested leader, Nnamdi Kanu, is the only way to put an end to the sit-at-home protests that took place in Anambra State on Monday. In a statement, IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful underlined that despite the protests being officially called off, they are still going on because of the people’s steadfast support for Kanu.
In addition, IPOB cautioned Governor Chukwuma Soludo from interrogating citizens who participate in the sit-at-home protest, emphasizing that their actions are selfless and stem from their love for the pro-Biafran leader.
Voluntary protests signal public frustration
Residents in the southeast continue to participate in sit-at-home protests despite IPOB’s formal appeal to stop them because they saw it as a symbolic protest against Kanu’s arrest. Powerful clarified that the current protests are a reflection of the public’s annoyance with political leaders and their discontent with his protracted incarceration.
“People stay at home not because of threats but because of their deep love for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” the statement stated. “They are peacefully protesting and calling for his release. This will not be resolved by using force.
According to Punch, the group charged that Soludo and other southeast governors had not done more to push for Kanu’s release. They also claimed that the public’s faith had been damaged by political leaders’ failure to keep their pledges to speak with the federal government on Kanu’s behalf.
Moreover, after being extradited from Kenya to Nigeria, Kanu was taken into custody in June 2021. Even after IPOB’s declaration revoked the order, his followers’ indignation over his imprisonment resulted in ongoing sit-at-home demonstrations.
Economic impact and government response
Businesses in major cities including Onitsha, Nnewi, and Ekwulobia have been paralyzed by the sit-at-home protests, which have had a huge negative economic impact. Every Monday, traders choose to keep their stores closed, disrupting commercial activity in important markets like Onitsha Main Market, Nkpor Motor Parts Market, and Ochanja Market.
In a recent visit to Onitsha, Governor Soludo issued a warning that companies who do not operate on Mondays will be subject to penalties. His attempts haven’t been very successful, though, because a lot of traders are still taking part in the demonstrations.
According to IPOB, these disturbances can only stop with Kanu’s release. “Forcive measures do not intimidate our people. Our leader’s release is the only way to solve the problem,” the statement continued.
The group reiterated their commitment to nonviolent protest till Kanu’s release and urged locals to resist intimidation. Ahead of the next elections, IPOB’s position shows the ongoing conflict between the government and pro-Biafran followers, which threatens regional stability.
