By Muhammad Mamman
In a major development for Nigeria’s fractious South-East region, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has announced the total and permanent cancellation of the weekly Monday sit-at-home order, a protest tactic that has disrupted life and commerce across the region for nearly five years. 
In a statement on Sunday, IPOB’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, said the directive came directly from the group’s detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, and takes effect from Monday, February 9, 2026. The sit-at-home had been observed weekly since 2021 as part of demonstrations over Kanu’s arrest and ongoing trial on terrorism-related charges. 
Powerful urged residents to return to work, reopen markets and schools, and resume normal life without fear or intimidation, stressing that there is now “no longer any justification” for staying at home on Mondays. He warned that anyone attempting to enforce the shutdown going forward would be acting against Kanu’s express orders. 
The Monday shutdowns have previously led to significant economic losses, school closures and tension between local communities and state authorities, with some analysts and politicians describing the practice as having outlived its usefulness and the original protest objectives. 
While the announcement signals a major shift in IPOB’s tactics, it remains to be seen how quickly and fully normal activities will resume across the South-East, particularly in areas where compliance with the sit-at-home had become entrenched. 
