Storytimes Newspapers

  The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has declared Monday, February 2, 2026, as a "Biafra-Wide Solidarity Lockdown" or sit-at-home across the South-East region of Nigeria (Anambra, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi, and Imo states) and other claimed Biafran territories. This one-day action calls for a complete shutdown of economic activities, urging traders, transporters, banks, schools, civil servants, and all sectors to remain indoors and refrain from commercial or public operations. IPOB describes it as a peaceful, voluntary protest in solidarity with traders at the Onitsha Main Market, who have faced punitive measures from Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo for observing previous Monday sit-at-home orders. Background and Reasons The declaration responds directly to Governor Soludo's recent closure of the Onitsha Main Market for one week (with threats of longer closures, land revocation, demolitions, or repurposing if traders continue complying with sit-at-home observances). I...

  The United Igbo Elders Council (UNIEC) Worldwide has urged calm and unity amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the temporary closure of Onitsha Main Market by Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo. In a statement released recently, the elders commended Onitsha traders for their peaceful conduct during the period of tension. They appealed to both the state government and market stakeholders to prioritize constructive dialogue as the path toward reopening the market and resolving underlying issues. The closure stems from traders' continued adherence to the Monday sit-at-home order—linked to solidarity with IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu—despite repeated government directives to resume full business activities, including on Mondays. Governor Soludo imposed a one-week shutdown (from January 26 to January 31, 2026) as a punitive measure, emphasizing that Anambra cannot operate as a "four-day week state" and highlighting significant economic losses (estimated at billions weekly...