It is major development likely to reshape the socio-economic landscape of Nigeria’s South-East geopolitical zone, the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has announced the total and permanent cancellation of its long-contested Monday “sit-at-home” directive.

The move follows a direct command from IPOB leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, signalling what the group describes as the end of an era of enforced weekly shutdowns that have paralysed regional life for years.

According to an official IPOB statement released on Sunday, the directive – effective Monday, February 9, 2026 – comes straight from Kanu, who remains a central figure in the movement’s leadership despite ongoing legal challenges.

The statement urged residents of the five South-East states to resume normal activities, including going to work, opening markets and returning children to school without fear or intimidation.

“The era of Monday sit-at-home is over,” the IPOB communiqué declared, stressing that all markets, offices, transport services, and economic activities must resume fully and normally from the designated date.

It also warned that any attempt to enforce sit-at-home after this notice will be seen as running contrary to Kanu’s explicit instructions.

The weekly sit-at-home practice – instituted in 2021 and often observed voluntarily or enforced through intimidation – had a crippling effect on economic activity across the South-East, with key sectors such as transportation, commerce, education and banking frequently ground to a halt on Mondays.

Governors and business leaders have repeatedly criticised the lockdowns, arguing that they caused significant financial losses, discouraged investment and disrupted schooling.

Some state governments even threatened penalties for workers who stayed home, challenging the unofficial shutdowns.

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