IPOB's Sit-at-Home Order: A Deadly Stalemate in Southeast Nigeria

The sit-at-home order by the banned separatist group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has resulted in a significant death toll of over 700 people in Southeast Nigeria, according to a detailed report by SBM Intelligence.

IPOB, pursuing the secession of the southeast region inhabited by the Igbo ethnic group, has been designated a terrorist organization by Nigerian authorities. The reported casualties stemmed from civilians killed for violating the sit-at-home directive, enforced through arson and targeted assassinations, and clashes with security forces.

Despite claims of non-involvement by an IPOB spokesperson, who blamed government-recruited criminals, the order's enforcement has led to economic losses of around 7.6 trillion naira. Although initially suspended, the sit-at-home protests continue to disrupt the southeast, especially on days when IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu appears in court, exacerbating regional tensions and economic disruptions.

(With inputs from agencies.)