In the first two years of the crisis, sit-at-home protests cost the Southeast more than $7.6 trillion.  ,
Four Years of Disruption: Unmasking the Impact of IPOB’s Sit-at-Home Order in Southeast Nigeria was released on Monday in a new report from SBM Intelligence. The amount represented a significant loss of between 50% and 70% of the region’s revenue and had a significant economic impact.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has had four years since enacting its sit-at-home order in the Southeast by August 2025.
Following the Nigerian Civil War, separatist group IPOB uses decades-old grievances of marginalization to bring about the restoration of the now-defunct Republic of Biafra.
The action, which was initially intended to be a weekly protest demanding the release of its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, was later changed to a recurring and profoundly disruptive phenomenon.
These sentiments were reignited by Kanu’s re-arrest in the middle of 2021, which set off the movement to formalize the Monday shutdowns.
“The sit-at-home protests quickly developed a more coercive quality than the symbolic acts of civil disobedience that they initially constituted. Initial levels of compliance were high, largely due to fear and sympathy, according to the report. However, recent surveys revealed that only about 29% of residents actually supported the directive, with many observing it out of concern for their safety.
A growing sense of insecurity is being fueled by violent enforcement by armed actors, who are frequently referred to as “unknown gunmen,” according to the report.
Near-total shutdowns of local trade and supply chains have been disrupting supply chains across the nation, including those in Southeastern commercial hubs like Onitsha and Ariaria, which have been affected by the shutdowns.
According to estimates, the region lost over $7.6 trillion in the first two years alone, while the transport industry reportedly lost up to $ 13 billion daily during the height of the protests.
Students who miss crucial classes and national exams, including WAEC and NECO, have also been severely impacted, further putting in jeopardizing the development of long-term human capital.
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The Eastern Security Network (ESN) was established by IPOB as a response to what it termed the government’s failure to safeguard the rights of Igbo people. It was founded in December 2020.
The ESN’s goal, according to IPOB, was to shield rural communities from Fulani herdsmen, who are alleged to be destroying farmland and putting lives in danger. The group has since been linked to violent clashes with state security forces, which frequently attack police and military installations in guerrilla style, adding to the region’s growing insecurity.
The report noted that a long-term solution will require more than just force due to the government’s heavy-handed response, which includes military operations like Python Dance and Crocodile Smile, which have drawn criticism for alleged rights violations.
Source: Channels TV
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