The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has rejected claims that it enforces the Monday sit-at-home protest in the South-East, asserting that the action is now a voluntary civil protest by Ndigbo against the continued detention of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
In a statement by IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful, the group accused the Nigerian government and military of using blackmail and coercion to undermine IPOB and its security wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN). IPOB emphasized that it suspended the sit-at-home long ago but that the protest has continued as a symbol of defiance against Kanu’s “illegal” detention.
The group further alleged that Nigerian security forces had collaborated with criminals to enforce the sit-at-home and create insecurity in the region, aiming to turn public sentiment against IPOB. They claimed that the government’s ultimate goal is to weaken Igbo resistance and facilitate territorial occupation by “state-sponsored terrorists.”
IPOB warned that attempts to dismantle its movement through military force or propaganda would fail, as it represents the will of the Igbo people. It urged the Nigerian government to engage in dialogue and release Nnamdi Kanu to end the sit-at-home, rather than resorting to intimidation and military intervention.
