The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has declared May 30, 2025, a public holiday and sit-at-home across Nigeria’s South-East to honour those who died in the 1967–1970 Biafran Civil War.
According to IPOB, all movement by land, air, and sea will be banned from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. across what the group refers to as “Biafran territory.”
The group also warned that no human activity will be allowed that day.
In response, the Anambra State Police Command dismissed the order, assuring residents of security and encouraging them to go about their normal business without fear.
“We are not aware of any lockdown directive,” said police spokesperson SP Tochukwu Ikenga. “But we assure residents of adequate security.
The police will not force anyone to go out, but those who choose to do so will be protected.”
IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful, in a statement on Monday, said the group would hold memorial events throughout May, both in Nigeria and abroad, in memory of Biafran “heroes and heroines.” He urged IPOB members overseas to stage demonstrations, with legal permits, demanding the release of the group’s leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Powerful stated that May 30 would witness a total shutdown of schools, markets, churches, mosques, and other public activities. He described the day as a time for quiet reflection on the civil war and what he called the continued marginalisation of the Igbo people in Nigeria.
He added that IPOB had informed the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to adjust exam schedules in the region and had also sent notices to governors in the South-East and South-South about its plans.
Only emergency and essential workers—such as ambulance drivers, healthcare professionals, journalists, and fuel tanker drivers—will be exempt from the restriction, according to the statement.
“Everyone is advised to stay indoors on May 30 to avoid confrontation or stray bullets from security personnel.
Transport operators must stay off the roads,” Powerful warned.
He also called on Biafrans abroad to organise town halls or protests and to honour historical Biafran figures, including Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Gen. Philip Effiong, and others.
A similar sit-at-home order last year led to violence in parts of the region, including the killing of soldiers in Abia State.