Lagos: More than 700 people have been killed in Nigeria’s southeast over the past four years due to violence associated with sit-at-home orders enforced by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), according to a new report by intelligence consultancy SBM Intelligence.
The separatist group, which is outlawed and designated a terrorist organisation by Nigerian authorities, introduced the protest directive in August 2021 to demand the release of its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu. The region affected is largely inhabited by the Igbo ethnic group.
SBM's report reveals that the fatalities stemmed from attacks on civilians who violated the stay-at-home orders as well as clashes between IPOB and security forces. It also highlights how enforcement measures—ranging from arson to assassinations and looting—have fostered widespread fear in the region.
While adherence to the order was high in 2021, with compliance rates hitting 82.61%, recent surveys show that only 29% of residents genuinely support the initiative, suggesting many are complying out of fear rather than solidarity.
IPOB has denied responsibility for the violence. A spokesperson claimed that criminal elements and kidnappers, allegedly sponsored by the government, were behind the killings, aiming to tarnish the group's image. The Nigerian government has not issued a response.
Although IPOB suspended the weekly protest shortly after its launch—citing an order from Kanu—armed groups linked to or identifying with IPOB have continued to enforce the order, especially on Mondays and court days related to Kanu’s trial in Abuja. These groups have also been blamed for attacks on public infrastructure and individuals associated with the government.
Authorities continue to link IPOB to a number of violent incidents, including a deadly prison break in 2021 and the recent killing of over 30 travelers, both of which IPOB denies any involvement in.
In addition to the human toll, the SBM report estimates the economic cost of the recurring shutdowns at over 7.6 trillion naira (about $4.79 billion), with markets, businesses, and transportation systems grinding to a halt weekly.
The southeast region, formerly known as Biafra, was the epicenter of a devastating civil war in the late 1960s that claimed more than a million lives.
