By Abu Dalisu l May 29, 2026
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has called for a peaceful stay-at-home exercise across Nigeria’s South-East and South-South region on May 30, 2026, as part of activities marking this year’s Biafran Heroes Memorial Day.
The separatist group said the annual observance is dedicated to remembering men, women and children who died during the Nigerian and Biafra Civil War and in the broader struggle for Biafran self-determination.
In a statement issued by IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful, the group urged residents of the South-East and supporters in the diaspora to observe the exercise peacefully and voluntarily, describing the occasion as a “sacred day of remembrance” for fallen Biafran heroes and heroines.
According to IPOB, markets, schools, banks, transport operators and other businesses are expected to remain closed during the observance, while citizens are encouraged to stay indoors in honour of those who lost their lives during the civil war between 1967 and 1970.
The group stressed that the planned lockdown was intended as a peaceful memorial event and not an act of violence or coercion. IPOB also claimed that its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), would not enforce compliance through force.
“IPOB and ESN will not enforce the sit-at-home,” the group reportedly stated while urging supporters to remain indoors for their own safety during the remembrance exercise.
May 30 has long been observed by pro-Biafra groups as Biafra Remembrance Day, commemorating the declaration of the Republic of Biafra in 1967 and the millions believed to have died during the civil war that followed.
The Nigerian Civil War remains one of the deadliest conflicts in the country’s history, with historians estimating that more than one million people — many of them civilians — died from fighting, starvation and disease.
IPOB, led by detained separatist figure Nnamdi Kanu, has repeatedly organised sit-at-home protests in recent years, mainly demanding his release from detention and drawing attention to calls for Biafran independence.
However, the group has also faced criticism from political leaders, traders and residents who argue that repeated lockdowns have severely disrupted economic activities across the South-East region.
Earlier this year, IPOB announced the cancellation of the regular Monday sit-at-home order introduced in 2021, insisting that some violent enforcements previously linked to the exercise were carried out by criminal elements and not officially sanctioned by the organisation.
Security agencies in Nigeria have repeatedly warned against any attempt to force residents to comply with unlawful restrictions, while state governments across the South-East have continued encouraging citizens to go about their lawful activities without fear.
Despite the controversy surrounding the annual observance, IPOB maintained that the May 30 memorial remains a solemn day for reflection, mourning and remembrance of those it described as martyrs of the Biafran struggle.