Over 700 people have lost their lives in Nigeria’s southeast since 2021 due to sit-at-home protests ordered by the proscribed separatist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a new report by SBM Intelligence reveals.
The fatalities stem largely from violent enforcement of the order, which initially began in August 2021 as a push for the release of IPOB’s detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu. The protests, typically observed every Monday and on days Kanu is scheduled to appear in court, have led to deadly clashes between separatist factions and Nigerian security forces, as well as attacks on civilians defying the orders.
IPOB, which seeks the secession of the southeast region—home predominantly to the Igbo ethnic group—was designated a terrorist organization by the Nigerian government. Though IPOB initially suspended the weekly lockdowns following a “direct order” from Kanu, splinter groups and armed factions have continued to enforce them through violent means.
According to the SBM report, tactics used in enforcing the protest include arson, looting, and targeted killings. “IPOB’s enforcement tactics, including arson, looting and targeted assassinations, have created a climate of fear,” the report stated.
Despite the ongoing violence, public support for the protests has waned. While 82.61% of residents reportedly complied in 2021, only 29% say they now support the movement—many continuing to comply purely out of fear.
An IPOB spokesperson rejected the report’s findings, blaming the violence on what they described as criminal elements allegedly recruited by the Nigerian government to discredit the group. “Those causing the killings are the kidnappers and criminals recruited by government to blackmail and demonize IPOB,” the spokesperson said.
The Nigerian government has yet to issue a formal response.
Beyond the human toll, the economic impact has been devastating. SBM estimates that the protest-driven shutdown of business activities across the five southeastern states has caused losses exceeding 7.6 trillion naira—around $4.79 billion.
The region, which experienced a brutal civil war in the late 1960s that claimed over one million lives, remains deeply scarred by historical grievances. Recent attacks, including the 2021 raid on a prison and the killing of more than 30 travelers earlier this month, have been blamed on IPOB by authorities. The group denies any involvement.
