By our reporter
A fresh report by a Lagos-based intelligence consultancy firm today claimed that over 700 persons have been killed in the past four years in connection with the sit-at-home ordered by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the South-East states of Imo, Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi and Abia.
The report, released by SBM Intelligence, also said economic losses of over N7.6 trillion were sustained during same period, according to Reuters .
The report is coming five days before May 30, 2025, which IPOB has labelled as Biafra Heroes’ Day, in commemoration of those who died in the Nigeria Civil War (1967-70).
A check by People&Politics on its website showed that SBM Intelligence describes itself as “an Africa-focused market/security intel gathering and strategic consulting firm.”
Recall that IPOB, led by now-detained Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has been agitating for self determination for the South-East stemming from what it described as decades of systemic injustices, murders, oppression and marginalization of people of the region by the Federal Government (FG) of Nigeria.
During the President Muhammadu Buhari presidency, the FG labelled IPOB a terrorist organisation.
According to SBM Intelligence, the fatalities from the sit-at-home resulted from the killing of civilians who defied the weekly order, every Monday and on other specific days, as well as from clashes between IPOB and government’s security personnel.
The firm alleged further: “IPOB’s enforcement tactics, including arson, looting and targeted assassinations, have created a climate of fear.
“While there was a high rate of compliance with sit-at-home orders in 2021 (82.61%), surveys reveal that actual support is much lower (29%) now, with many complying under duress.”
An IPOB spokesperson denied the group was responsible for the deaths, Reuters said.
“Those causing the killings are the kidnappers and criminals recruited by government to blackmail and demonize IPOB,” the spokesperson said.
The government did not respond to a request for comment, Reuters added.
IPOB, which labels itself a non-violent self determination movement, kicked off the sit-at-home protest in August 2021, using it as leverage to demand Kanu’s release, after he was renditioned from Kenya to Nigeria.
He is presently facing trial in Abuja on terrorism charges.
IPOB later suspended the weekly protest, citing a “direct order” from Kanu, and reinstated it only on days the IPOB leader would be appearing in court.
But the situation appeared to escalate as other armed groups claiming allegiance to IPOB as well as alleged pro-establishment militants reportedly persisted in enforcing the weekly protest, launching attacks on government facilities and perceived pro-government individuals –actions which routinely sparked accusations and counter-accusations between government security agencies and IPOB over the years.
The SBM report added that aside the deaths, the fallout of the agitation has resulted in economic losses surpassing N7.6 trillion.
