Echotitbits – Nigeria News

Tag: Biafra

  • Nnamdi Kanu Permanently Ends South-East Sit-At-Home Directive

    Nnamdi Kanu Permanently Ends South-East Sit-At-Home Directive

    The outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has announced the definitive termination of the controversial Monday sit-at-home order across Nigeria’s South-east region. According to Premium Times, the group’s leader, Nnamdi Kanu, issued the directive from detention, declaring the cessation of the weekly exercise effective Monday, February 9, 2026. The move is intended to allow for the full restoration of economic activities, educational pursuits, and freedom of movement for residents of the zone.

    Reporting by The Nation indicates that IPOB’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, clarified that anyone attempting to enforce a sit-at-home hereafter is acting against Kanu’s direct wishes and will be treated as an enemy of the people. The statement emphasized that there is no longer any justification for the paralyzing weekly lockdowns, which have severely hampered the region’s productivity over the past few years.

    In an update published by The Punch, security agencies have been urged to provide maximum protection for citizens as they resume their normal Monday routines. The publication notes that “the total cancellation is a necessary step to stop the intimidation of our people and ensure that schools and markets can operate without fear.” Validation from Vanguard further confirms this shift, quoting a regional security analyst who stated, “This move, if respected by all factions, could be the turning point for the South-east’s struggling economy.”

    Echotitbits take:

    The cessation of the sit-at-home is a significant relief for the South-east’s fragile economy, which has lost billions of Naira to these weekly closures. However, the real test lies in the enforcement; security forces must ensure that splinter groups or “enforcers” do not continue to terrorize citizens who choose to come out. Watch for whether the Monday morning bustling returns to major markets in Aba, Onitsha, and Enugu today.

    Source: The Punch – https://punchng.com/ipob-orders-total-cancellation-of-sit-at-home-in-south-east/, February 9, 2026

    Photo credit: The Punch

  • Igbo Nation Observes First Annual Civil War Thanksgiving Day

    Igbo Nation Observes First Annual Civil War Thanksgiving Day

    Reporting by Vanguard indicates that the Igbo Nation has today, January 31, 2026, commenced its first annual “Day of Adoration and Thanksgiving,” 56 years after the end of the Nigeria-Biafra Civil War. The event, which is intended to be held every last Saturday of January, is a dedicated moment for healing, reflection, and gratitude for surviving the conflict that ended in 1970. Prominent leaders and groups like Ohanaeze Ndigbo have encouraged Igbos globally to use the day for spiritual redirection and honoring fallen heroes.

    The initiative aims to foster unity among the Igbo people and promote a collective vision for the future. Organizers stated that while the war claimed millions of lives, the survival and subsequent economic resilience of the Igbo race deserve a dedicated day of worship. Events are being held in various states across the South-East, as well as in the diaspora, with many seeing it as a way to address the “peace gap” that persisted long after the war’s end.

    The event was also covered by The Punch and Daily Post. The Punch noted that “the thanksgiving is expected to become a major cultural landmark for the South-East,” while Daily Post mentioned that “security was beefed up in major cities like Enugu and Owerri to ensure a peaceful celebration.”

    Echotitbits take:

    This is more than a religious event; it is a strategic move to consolidate “Igbo soft power” and historical memory. Watch for how the federal government reacts to this—whether they embrace it as a national healing process or view it with suspicion as a form of ethnic mobilization.

    Source: Newsexpressngr – https://newsexpressngr.com/news/293623/civil-war-56-years-after-igbo-nation-begins-annual-thanksgiving-today, January 31, 2026

    Photo credit: Newsexpressngr

  • Indigenous Coalition Declares Nigerian Amalgamation “Untenable” and Seeks Exit

    Indigenous Coalition Declares Nigerian Amalgamation “Untenable” and Seeks Exit

    Vanguard reports that a new alliance of Yoruba and Igbo self-determination groups—described as the “Coalition to De-amalgamate Nigeria for Security” (CODES)—has declared Nigeria’s current political structure unsustainable and called for a structured, peaceful self-determination process.

    According to the report, the coalition’s communique argued that insecurity and long-standing grievances have created conditions where “peaceful self-determination” is the only viable route to lasting peace. The group reportedly hosted a virtual press conference and framed its position as advocacy for a political process, not violence.

    The Punch and The Nation also reported the development and government reactions, including claims that security agencies are monitoring the coalition’s activities and warnings against actions perceived as undermining national sovereignty.

    Echotitbits take: The coordination of major regional self-determination narratives under a single platform is a meaningful shift from fragmented activism to a more organized political posture. Watch for potential proscription moves, counter-messaging by federal institutions, and signals of whether CODES is building durable grassroots structures or remains largely elite-digital.
    Source: Vanguard — https://www.vanguardngr.com/2026/01/yoruba-igbo-leaders-say-continued-co-existence-untenable/amp/ 2026-01-24

    Photo Credit: Vanguard