Tension Mounts in Anambra as State Govt Enforces Ban on IPOB’s Monday Sit-at-Home
Tension has escalated across Anambra State following the state government’s decision to ban the long-observed Monday sit-at-home order linked to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a move that has drawn resistance and renewed debate over civil disobedience in the South-East.
The unease, Global Mirror News gathered, stems from a mix of public sympathy for IPOB’s sit-at-home directive and the group’s strong opposition to the Government’s order compelling residents to resume normal economic activities on Mondays.
After an executive retreat held last week, the Anambra State Government announced the abolition of the Monday sit-at-home and directed Civil Servants, Traders, and Businesses to open fully on Mondays.
Authorities warned that sanctions would be imposed on individuals or groups who continue to observe the sit-at-home in defiance of the directive. The government also disclosed plans to establish a task force to enforce compliance.
Economic concerns appear to be at the heart of the decision. Persistent sit-at-home disruptions have been linked to economic stagnation across the South-East.
Anambra State has proposed a ₦757 billion budget for the 2026 fiscal year—the lowest among States in the Region—with plans to generate about ₦60 billion Internally, representing roughly 12.7 percent of the total budget.
Analysts and stakeholders have expressed doubts about the State’s capacity to meet its revenue targets amid continued shutdowns every Monday.
Reacting sharply to the Government’s action, IPOB described the Monday sit-at-home as a legitimate act of “civil disobedience” and rejected the authority of any Governor to compel citizens to open their businesses or move freely against their will.
In a statement issued on Sunday and signed by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, the group warned that the proposed task force would amount to an “illegal provocation.”
IPOB insisted that Governor Chukwuma Soludo lacks the constitutional power to force citizens to abandon what it described as a peaceful, non-violent expression of conscience.
The group cautioned the governor against what it termed threats against Ndi Anambra and Ndi Igbo, stressing that the people are not enemies of the Government and that the primary responsibility of leadership is protection, not punishment.
IPOB further argued that voluntary sit-at-home protests by traders, students, professionals, elders, and youths—particularly in protest against the continued detention of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu—remain within the bounds of democratic rights.
“If citizens voluntarily choose to sit at home on Mondays as a silent protest, that is their right. It is not a crime, not rebellion, and not an offence,” the statement said.
As enforcement looms, residents and business owners remain divided, with fears that the standoff between the State Government and IPOB could further heighten tension in the State.
