Ifeanyi Ejiofor, human rights lawyer and lead counsel for the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has told Ndigbo to ignore a lockdown directive issued by the group’s Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful. The order called for a sit-at-home on Monday, February 2, 2026, in solidarity with traders at Onitsha Main Market, whose shops were ordered closed by Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo.
Ejiofor clarified that IPOB has no connection to the lockdown notice and described the directive as false. He said the platform used to issue the order has been compromised and warned the public to treat its publications with suspicion. He encouraged residents of the South-East to continue their normal daily activities without fear, noting that circulating false orders could disrupt the fragile peace in the region.
The lawyer’s statement follows tensions over the enforcement of sit-at-home directives in the South-East, which IPOB has long denounced. According to him, fake orders create opportunities for unrest and could be exploited by individuals posing as enforcers. Ejiofor stressed that the genuine IPOB movement is committed to peace and progress in Ala-Igbo and disassociates itself from any misleading notices attributed to Emma Powerful.
Residents and traders were urged to disregard the notice and carry on with their businesses and daily routines as normal, while authorities continue to monitor the situation to prevent any disruption.
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