The Concerned Igbo Ministers Commission, led by Rev. Anthony Uzor as President, has issued a statement calling for a one-day sit-at-home observance across "Biafraland" (the South-East region of Nigeria) on Monday, February 2, 2026.
The group frames the action as a show of solidarity with traders in Onitsha, Anambra State, who have faced significant economic hardship due to their continued adherence to Monday sit-at-home protests in support of detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. According to the statement, Onitsha traders are urging Igbo leaders, particularly governors, to advocate for Kanu's release, similar to how other regional leaders secure the freedom of their people.
The statement criticizes Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo for responding with what it describes as confrontational and authoritarian measures—likening his approach to military-era high-handedness—rather than engaging in dialogue. It recalls that many of these traders historically resisted military dictatorship to help establish Nigeria's current democracy.
While noting that IPOB had previously ended routine Monday sit-at-homes, the group claims the strategy is retained for selective use when needed. They announce this Monday's sit-at-home as a limited, one-day action to support Onitsha traders and pressure the governor to pursue peaceful dialogue instead of threats. The statement emphasizes that deeper consultations with Onitsha stakeholders will begin from February 3 to seek a consensual resolution.
It urges all "peace-loving Ndi Igbo" and the global IPOB family to participate in solidarity, accusing the governor of risking renewed conflict in the region due to "personal political greed" and loyalty to external interests.
The statement is signed by Rev. Anthony Uzor, President of the Igbo Ministers Commission.
Context from recent developments: This call comes amid heightened tensions in Anambra, where Governor Soludo recently ordered a one-week closure of the Onitsha Main Market over non-compliance with his directive to end Monday sit-at-homes. He has since directed the market to reopen on February 2 for normal business, insisting there is no sit-at-home in the state and warning of harsher measures (such as longer closures or shop revocations) if ignored. Mainstream IPOB statements (via spokesman Emma Powerful) have also endorsed a similar solidarity sit-at-home for that date, though there are conflicting reports about internal disputes within IPOB factions regarding the legitimacy of certain directives. Authorities have assured security and urged residents to disregard disruptive orders and carry on normal activities.
