The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has warned of what it described as a grand conspiracy by state governments in the South-East to sabotage the struggle for the restoration of Biafra.
The group said the shutdown of Onitsha Main Market by Anambra State governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, and his subsequent threats to close more markets, is part of the alleged plot, which it said also involves reversing the normalcy that has returned to the South-East and creating instability in the region.
IPOB made the assertion in a statement released by spokesman, Emma Powerful, on Thursday. The statement is titled ‘Soludo’s reckless threats unmask a sinister plot to undermine Biafra’s peaceful struggle and foment instability in Igboland’.
The secessionist group further alleged that the plot against Biafra restoration was orchestrated by the Nigerian government.
“The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), led by the unyielding Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, vehemently condemns the outrageous and provocative utterances of Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo, who has brazenly threatened to revoke market ownerships and rebuild them as a punitive measure against traders observing the Monday sit-at-home in solidarity with our leader’s unjust incarceration.
“This is nothing short of a carefully scripted, malevolent agenda orchestrated from Abuja to sabotage the Biafra restoration movement from within, right under the watchful eyes of the international community. Those lacking foresight and critical insight fail to grasp the profoundly destructive implications of Soludo’s words, which echo the treacherous playbook of past collaborators like Ukpabi Asika, recruited to betray Biafran interests during our darker times before, during and after the war.
“Soludo’s escalation comes at a pivotal moment when global attention is turning toward Biafra’s plight and Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s rising international profile. His threats are a desperate bid for confrontation, aimed at derailing our intensified diplomatic push for Biafra recognition.
“Make no mistake—this is not merely about Monday sit-at-home; it is a grand conspiracy emanating from government houses across Igboland to halt the unstoppable momentum of Biafra restoration,” IPOB said.
DAILY POST reports that Soludo had ordered the closure of Onitsha Main Market for one week after traders failed to open their shops on Monday, opting instead to observe the weekly sit-at-home protest in the South-East. Armoured tanks and heavily armed security agents were deployed at the market on Tuesday to enforce the shutdown.
The Anambra governor said the market, regarded as the largest in West Africa, will be closed for a month if the traders fail to open their shops when it is unsealed next week Monday. Soludo extended the shutdown threat to 12 additional markets, warning that non-compliance with the ban on sit-at-home by traders would lead to closures.
Condemning the development, IPOB expressed suspicion at the timing of the actions of the Anambra State governor.
“We demand answers: Why now? This is the question we should all ask ourselves. Soludo himself admitted that during the Christmas shopping season, markets flourished on Mondays without incident, utterly debunking the fabricated narrative of intimidation or fear as the driver of sit-at-home observance. This exposes the lie peddled by Nigerian authorities that our people cower in terror—when in truth, the Monday closures are a voluntary, peaceful civil disobedience by Onitsha and Aba business owners and traders to demand the immediate release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“Yet, this legitimate expression of solidarity has been grotesquely twisted by propaganda machines to drown out the real cause: justice for our leader and self-determination for Biafra,” the statement noted.
The pro-Biafra group expressed concern that Soludo’s actions could reverse the relative normalcy that has returned to the South-East after a long period of violence and instability.
“Despite the sham conviction and life imprisonment imposed on our leader, his spirit remains unbroken, propelling Biafra to unprecedented heights. Our emissaries have worked tirelessly to maintain relative peace in Igboland, only for Soludo to recklessly attempt to reverse these gains and ignite chaos.
“We warn that Nigeria’s regime is funneling vast sums into Republican lobbying firms in Washington to paint Biafraland as an unstable, ungovernable region, hoping to dissuade figures like President Trump from recognizing our rightful aspirations. That is why we must be careful with our utterances and actions.
“Soludo’s role in this act of grand treachery against our people is regrettable and will be remembered as a betrayal of his own people. No Yoruba or Fulani governor will do to their people, what Soludo is doing to Onitsha business men and women.
“Biafrans must remain vigilant against false flag operations from Soludo’s militia and provocations designed to portray us as violent, thereby justifying further oppression. We must not allow Soludo to replicate Imo State in Anambra State,” the statement further warned.
IPOB urged its members and supporters to stay disciplined, peaceful, and resolute in their non-violent resistance approach.
“The world must witness our maturity and commitment to dialogue, not the chaos Soludo and his handlers seek to engineer,” it added, while calling on the international community, human rights bodies and well-meaning Nigerians to hold the governor accountable for his “inflammatory threats” that endanger lives and economic livelihoods.
