Feb. 2 Sit-At-Home Order Was A Response To Gov. Soludo’s Dictatorial Posture – IPOB

The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has clarified that the February 2 lockdown was a one-off action in response to the dictatorial posture of the Anambra State governor. IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, recently had his say during an interview with VanguardNG, and Nigerians have been reacting.

According to him, the February 2, 2026 sit-at-home was not a policy shift by IPOB, it was a deserved reaction to Gov. Chukwuma Soludo’s increasingly dictatorial posture in Anambra.

He added that no one derives joy in sit-at-home actions, but the Governor’s threats needed a response.

His words, “The cancellation was hailed, as many people commended IPOB for listening to the yearnings of Ndigbo.

IPOB did not only announce its cancellation, but it issued repeatedly, press statements canceling it, and disassociated itself from the hoodlums who, in the name of enforcing sit-at-home, were robbing and terrorizing people.

It is only haters of IPOB and Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, that will associate IPOB with those illegal Monday sit-at-home, after its cancellation by Mazi Kanu.

IPOB, no doubt, declared sit-at-home some of the days Mazi Nnamdi Kanu went to court and Ndigbo, particularly traders, complied without complain, in solidarity.

To keep the records straight, the sit-at-home observed last Monday February 2, 2026 in parts of Onitsha, was a one-off reaction to the increasingly dictatorial posture and behaviour of Governor Chukwuma Soludo, it was not a policy shift by IPOB.

To that end, asking IPOB or any of its members, including me, Emma Powerful, how we feel about Igbo people losing one day every working week, should not arise because IPOB has been at the fore front on the battle to stop Monday weekly sit-at-home.

No one takes joy in sit-at-home actions, let alone the Indigenous People of Biafra, whose members are mostly traders, artisans, transporters, and small business owners who depend on daily economic activity to live.

However, when a sitting Igbo Governor chooses to threaten his own people with demolition and bulldozers, at a time when Igbo businesses and homes are already being destroyed in Lagos, Sokoto, Abuja, and across Nigeria using the same language of intimidation, it becomes necessary for our people to register their displeasure.

The duty of an elected Igbo governor is to protect his people, not to traumatize them at the slightest provocation.

Where was the Governor all these years that we have been battling the people the man in Finland was using to cause confusion in Igbo land? Is it in last January, few days ago that Soludo realized that weekly Monday sit-at-home is still going on? Why did he not remember it when he was campaigning for reelection that sit-at-home is still being observed and must be stopped for traders to go back to their businesses on Mondays?

We are aware that there are people, including Ndigbo, who, no matter how you convince them to believe that IPOB did not sanction weekly Monday sit-at-home, they will not believe you because their minds are made up that there is nothing good that will come from IPOB, but such people are few in numbers and we do not care about how they feel about us.

Let it be clearly stated: Monday sit-at-home is not something anybody likes, but it must be approached with respect for those who, out of conscience, choice and sympathy for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, choose to express their anger over the continued illegal detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. Threatening citizens for peaceful expressions only deepens resentment and mistrust.

Has Mazi Nnamdi Kanu ever dabbled in local or regional politics? The answer is a resounding no. So why this desperation? Why the active support for his conviction and sentencing without any proof that a crime was committed?

It is indisputable that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu ended sit-at-home long ago. From this weekend onward, it will be made clear that sit at home will not be enforced.

IPOB does not want Ndigbo and Igbo traders harassed, threatened, or coerced for exercising their lawful right to open their businesses.”

WOW.