Over the past four years, protests organized by a separatist group in Nigeria have turned deadly and caused massive economic damage. According to a new report by Lagos-based think tank SBM Intelligence, more than 700 people have died due to the protests called by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
IPOB is a banned group that wants the southeastern part of Nigeria to break away and form its own country. This area has a long and painful history. Between 1967 and 1970, it was the center of a civil war where over one million people lost their lives. Most died from starvation after the region tried to become an independent nation called Biafra.
Since 2021, IPOB has been calling for regular “stay-at-home” protests. These were meant to be peaceful acts of resistance, but over time, things have changed. Armed groups, some possibly pretending to support IPOB, have hijacked these protests. They burn vehicles, attack people, and use violence to scare others into staying home. As SBM Intelligence reports, this fear-driven compliance has created chaos in daily life.
The report also highlights the deep economic and social damage caused by these actions. Businesses close, schools shut down, and normal life comes to a standstill during the sit-at-home days. The region has lost around 7.6 trillion naira, or $4.8 billion, due to these disruptions. Over 776 people have died in this ongoing crisis, and the situation continues to harm education, governance, and livelihoods.
IPOB often denies being behind the violence. The group claims that criminal gangs and political enemies are using its name to carry out attacks. When AFP reached out to their spokesperson, they did not receive any comment.
The Nigerian government has labeled IPOB a terrorist organization and accuses it of spreading hate and trying to divide the country along ethnic lines. Nnamdi Kanu, the group’s founder and a former estate agent in London, is currently on trial in Abuja facing terrorism charges.
This report comes just before Biafra Day, which IPOB marks at the end of May with a strict order for people to remain indoors. It also happens as President Bola Tinubu celebrates two years in office and Nigeria continues to struggle with a jihadist insurgency in the northeast and violent bandit attacks in other parts of the country.
In a country already battling several major security issues, the growing crisis in the southeast adds to the list of national challenges.
By Yockshard Enyendi