Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has denied plans to resume enforcing Monday sit-at-home orders across the South-East, describing a purported police intelligence report on the alleged plan as fabricated.
The group’s spokesperson and Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, issued the denial on Monday, October 12, 2026, after reports emerged that IPOB and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), intended to restart enforcement of the sit-at-home order from that date.
The purported intelligence report, reportedly dated October 9, alleged that the group planned to compel residents of the South-East and Imo State to observe the shutdown.
However, Powerful said IPOB had issued no such directive and challenged the Nigeria Police Force to produce verifiable evidence linking the group to the alleged plan.
“There is no voice note. There is no order from IPOB or ESN to resume any sit-at-home. There is no plan by this movement to enforce anything on the people of the South-East or Imo State,” he said.
Powerful described the purported document as fabricated and alleged that it was intended to discredit the group and shift attention away from the position of its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, on political developments and the forthcoming elections.
IPOB further accused security agencies, politicians and individuals it described as former members of its Directorate of State of circulating misleading information to portray the group as responsible for insecurity in the region.
The group alleged that the circulation of the report and an anonymous audio recording, alongside what it described as the withdrawal or redeployment of security personnel, could create conditions for further violence that might subsequently be blamed on IPOB.
It did not, however, provide independently verifiable evidence establishing that the police or political actors had fabricated the report or coordinated the alleged activities.
Powerful called on the police to disclose the original audio recording, identify its source where possible and explain the evidence used to link the alleged message to IPOB or ESN.
The group also reiterated its stated position that it would boycott the forthcoming elections, insisting that the alleged report would not change its course of action.
The Monday sit-at-home order had previously disrupted economic and social activities across parts of the South-East. IPOB announced the cancellation of the order in 2026, making the latest allegation of a planned resumption a matter of concern for residents and businesses in the region.
As of the latest reports, the police had not publicly responded to IPOB’s challenge or provided further clarification on the authenticity of the purported intelligence document.
The competing claims remain unverified. IPOB’s denial does not independently establish who produced the report, while the reported police allegation has not been substantiated by publicly available evidence reviewed for this story.
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