The spokesperson of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Emma Powerful, has dismissed comments by the group’s lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, who advised residents of the South-East to disregard the sit-at-home scheduled for Monday, February 2, 2026.
The sit-at-home was announced by IPOB in solidarity with traders at Onitsha Main Market, which was shut for one week by Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, over alleged non-compliance with the state’s ban on Monday sit-at-home observance.
IPOB had opposed the market closure and urged traders to resume business despite the governor’s directive. However, the state government enforced the shutdown, reportedly deploying armoured vehicles and heavily armed security personnel to the market.
In response, IPOB, through its spokesman Emma Powerful, declared a region-wide sit-at-home across the South-East on February 2 to protest the treatment of the traders.
Ejiofor later issued a statement countering the directive, claiming IPOB had abandoned sit-at-home actions in the region and questioning Powerful’s authority within the organisation. He further alleged that the IPOB spokesman had been compromised.
Reacting on Saturday, Powerful said Ejiofor lacked the authority to speak on behalf of IPOB, insisting that he was no longer a member of the group and had previously been dismissed.
Powerful stressed that IPOB operates under a clearly defined chain of command established by its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, whom he described as the supreme authority within the movement.
According to him, the organisational structure of IPOB predates recent developments and vests communication responsibilities solely in the Directorate of Media and Publicity, headed by the group’s spokesperson.
Powerful explained that his role is to relay directives from Kanu and to maintain discipline and unity within the movement while pursuing the leader’s release. He maintained that only Kanu has the authority to appoint or remove officials within IPOB.
He further stated that Kanu, even while in detention, had appointed officers and disengaged legal representatives, which, according to him, underscores the supremacy of his directives.
Clarifying the February 2 sit-at-home, Powerful said the action was a one-off measure taken in response to what he described as the intimidation of traders by the Anambra State government.
He also rejected claims that representatives of IPOB’s Directorate of State (DOS) held meetings with Governor Soludo to assure him that the group would not oppose the market closure, describing such claims as false and misleading.
Powerful reaffirmed IPOB’s commitment to Nnamdi Kanu, insisting the movement would not abandon its leader or deviate from his vision.
He concluded by stating that the directive on the February 2 sit-at-home was issued solely by him in his capacity as IPOB spokesperson.