According to IPOB, the sit-at-home—called in solidarity with Onitsha traders following Governor Chukwuma Soludo's closure of the market and threats of further sanctions—was widely observed. Streets were empty, markets shut, schools closed, banks non-operational, and government offices deserted, even in Soludo's home local government area of Aguata and at Government House in Awka.
The group accused authorities of staging scenes for media, including a purported BBC report showing a few individuals—allegedly "rented security men and APGA party chairmen"—posing in front of locked shops to create a false impression of activity. IPOB claimed that once the extent of the lockdown became evident, some media outlets that initially depicted deserted scenes abruptly shifted to claiming shops were open.
Highlighting what it called internal contradictions in the government's position, IPOB questioned: If markets were truly bustling as claimed, why did Governor Soludo threaten to demolish over 10,000 shops in Onitsha Main Market and issue a 14-day ultimatum for affected traders to relocate? The group argued that such threats exposed the falsehoods, as they implied non-compliance rather than the reported normalcy.
IPOB emphasized that its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, had long ago ended any enforced sit-at-home policy. The current observance, it said, reflects voluntary solidarity, dignity, and resistance to intimidation—not coercion. The group warned that allowing Soludo's threats to succeed would set a dangerous precedent, potentially encouraging the destruction of Igbo properties and businesses elsewhere in Nigeria, as allegedly seen in past incidents in Lagos and Abuja.
The statement condemned attempts to suppress truth through financed propaganda and affirmed that "intimidation has lost its power" while "unity defeated propaganda." IPOB reiterated its commitment to confronting uncomfortable realities, declaring that "truth will prevail over propaganda" and a united people cannot be silenced.
The development comes amid heightened tensions in Anambra State, where Soludo has intensified efforts to end the long-standing Monday sit-at-home practice, which he describes as economic sabotage. Reports from various sources indicate mixed compliance on February 2, with some outlets highlighting trader reopenings and Soludo's market visits to affirm normalcy, while IPOB maintains the lockdown was near-universal.
The group urged Biafrans to remain resolute, reject deception, and continue defending their rights peacefully against perceived overreach.
