•IPOB
The final word on the closure of the Onitsha main market by the Anambra State government has yet to be heard, as the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), under the leadership of Nnamdi Kanu, declared a total lockdown of all economic activities across Igboland on Monday, February 2, 2026, in solidarity with traders.
Governor Charles Soludo had on Monday shut down the Onitsha market for one week following the continued observance of Monday sit-at-home by traders.
Soludo had earlier abolished the Monday sit-at-home order in the state and directed that all economic and other activities resume. He had also vowed to sanction organisations that flouted the order. He said the Monday sit-at-home order was denying the state several billions of naira.
Last Tuesday, however, defiant traders who refused to open on Monday reported that the market was locked and manned by security operatives when they went on Tuesday.
IPOB, which has always stood with the traders, announced a total lockdown of the Southeast region on Monday, February 2, 2026, reports Saturday Guardian. This was despite an agreement by the traders to comply with the state government to ensure the market remains open every Monday.
In a statement, IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said the February 2 lockdown is necessary because of the “tyrannical actions of Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo, who has shut down Onitsha Main Market for one week and threatened further month-long closures, revocation of land ownership, demolition, and punitive repurposing.”
“This strike is not enforcement; it is a voluntary, collective expression of outrage and solidarity with the hardworking traders of Onitsha, whose livelihoods are now under direct assault by a governor who has chosen to act as an enforcer for anti-Biafran interests rather than as a servant of his people. Soludo’s closure of Africa’s largest market, coupled with his reckless threats to revoke allocations and rebuild in the ‘public interest,’ constitutes economic warfare against Biafrans. It is designed to break the spirit of peaceful civil disobedience that has highlighted the injustice of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s continued detention despite sham proceedings,” Powerful said.
He reminded the governor that the Monday sit-at-home originated as a peaceful protest demanding the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu, adding that the very cause has galvanised global attention to Biafra’s quest for self-determination.
“Attempts to cast this as economic sabotage or criminality will fail. The markets thrived on Christmas Mondays without incident, proving that voluntary compliance stems from genuine solidarity, not fear. Soludo’s escalation only exposes his desperation to provoke confrontation at a time when Biafra’s international profile is rising and diplomatic efforts are gaining traction,” he added.
He continued: “On Monday, February 2, 2026, we call on all Biafrans — traders, transporters, banks, schools, civil servants, and every sector across Anambra, Abia, Imo, Enugu, Ebonyi, and beyond — to observe this solidarity strike peacefully. Remain indoors, refrain from all commercial and public activities, and demonstrate our disciplined resolve to the world. This is not about disruption for its own sake; it is about standing with Onitsha traders who are being punished for demanding justice and reaffirming that no governor can coerce free citizens into abandoning their rights or their solidarity.
“IPOB remains committed to non-violence and dialogue leading to a referendum on Biafran self-determination. We urge all to remain law-abiding, avoid provocation, and remain vigilant against false-flag operations aimed at discrediting our cause. The world must see that Biafrans are a peaceful, mature people fighting for freedom through legitimate means — not the chaotic region Nigerian lobbyists desperately portray.
“Soludo’s war on Onitsha traders is a war on all Biafrans. This strike will send a clear message: Touch one, touch all. Our leader’s prophecy endures—Biafra’s liberation is near, and no amount of intimidation will stop it.”
