The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has officially and permanently cancelled the long-running Monday sit-at-home directive across the South-East, effective Monday, February 9, 2026. This announcement, issued by spokesperson Emma Powerful, comes as a direct order from the group’s leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who is currently serving a life sentence at the Sokoto State Correctional Centre.
The move marks a historic shift for the region, which has been gripped by weekly economic shutdowns since 2021. Kanu’s decision is reportedly aimed at restoring normalcy, ensuring children return to school, and allowing the regional economy to recover from years of disruption.
IPOB warned that anyone attempting to enforce a sit-at-home from this point forward is acting against Nnamdi Kanu’s direct command and will be treated as an enemy of the people. The group challenged skeptics to visit Kanu at the Sokoto Correctional Centre to confirm the directive themselves, ending the excuse that he cannot be reached.
All markets, schools, offices, and transport services have been directed to resume full operations immediately. While urging residents to return to work, IPOB cautioned governors—specifically naming Anambra’s Governor Chukwuma Soludo, against using force or demolition threats to compel traders who may still be hesitant to open.
On November 20, 2025, Kanu was convicted on terrorism-related charges and sentenced to life imprisonment. Following his sentencing, he was moved from DSS custody in Abuja to the Sokoto State Correctional Facility. Just days ago, on February 4, 2026, Kanu filed a formal appeal against his conviction, arguing that the trial was riddled with fundamental legal errors. A recent bid to have him transferred from Sokoto to a facility closer to Abuja was struck out by the court on January 27, 2026.
The cancellation comes amid a tense standoff in Anambra State. Governor Soludo recently shut down the Onitsha Main Market for one week after traders complied with a “one-off” sit-at-home on February 2, which IPOB claimed was a protest against the governor’s dictatorial style. Soludo has vowed to end the “business calendar” of the South-East being dictated by non-state actors, threatening to seal any school or market that remains closed on Mondays.
