News
Sit-at-home: IPOB, police showdown looms in S’East today
Security agencies across the South-East are on high alert ahead of a sit-at-home order declared by the Indigenous People of Biafra for today, Monday, February 2, 2026.
The directive, in solidarity with traders at the Onitsha Main Market, has sparked tension and confusion among residents, with authorities warning against spreading misinformation.
Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State ordered the closure of Onitsha Main Market for one week after traders, complying with the IPOB sit-at-home order, refused to open their shops on Monday.
He warned that the state government would not hesitate to revoke shop ownership rights or take over and redevelop the market if traders failed to comply.
Soludo insisted that all market traders must open for business on Mondays and sign the attendance register before 10 am.
In support of the traders, IPOB, through its spokesman, Emma Powerful, called on traders, transporters, banks, schools, civil servants, and all sectors across Anambra, Abia, Imo, Enugu, Ebonyi, and beyond to observe the solidarity strike peacefully.
The move, however, has further heightened tensions in the region.
Meanwhile, the IPOB leadership has publicly disowned the sit-at-home order, describing the directive circulated under the name “Emma Powerful” as fake and misleading.
In a counter-statement released on Saturday, IPOB lawyer Ifeanyi Ejiofor said the source behind the directive had been compromised and was acting against the collective interest of Ndi-Igbo.
He insisted that IPOB had formally distanced itself from the false sit-at-home order and directed Ndi-Igbo to go about their lawful activities without fear.
Also, in a press statement released on Saturday, the Head of the Directorate of State, IPOB, Chukwukadia Edoziem, disowned the purported sit-at-home, saying the directive did not get the approval of the IPOB leadership nor represent the position of the IPOB Directorate of State.
“In view of the foregoing, the Directorate of State of the Indigenous People of Biafra unequivocally states that it did not authorise anyone whatsoever to issue a lockdown sit-at-home order of Biafraland on Monday, February 2, 2026,” Edoziem stated.
Despite the clarification, security agencies in Anambra, Ebonyi, Imo, and other South-East states assured residents that measures were in place to safeguard lives, maintain law and order, and allow citizens to go about their lawful activities peacefully.
In Anambra State, the Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu, convened an emergency meeting with all area and tactical commanders at the state headquarters in Awka on Sunday.
He directed the immediate intensification of intelligence-led patrols, proactive policing, and surveillance to prevent any threat to lives and property.
In a press statement released after the meeting, the CP urged residents to remain vigilant, discerning, united, and to resist divisive narratives.
“Following the security assessment of the implications, or otherwise, of full resumption of all social, commercial, and official activities in Anambra State on Mondays, the police command has identified a deliberate, recurring pattern of coordinated social media posts by some non-state actors aimed at spreading fear, misinformation, and bigotry among the public.
“These misleading narratives are intended to cause panic, undermine public confidence, and disrupt the peace currently enjoyed in the state.
“However, the command notes with confidence that Ndi Anambra have remained vigilant, discerning, and united, refusing to succumb to such divisive narratives.
“The resilience, cooperation, and timely sharing of credible information by residents continue to play a critical role in sustaining public order and safety.
“The police command has directed the immediate intensification of intelligence-led patrols, security surveillance, and proactive policing operations to forestall any threat to lives and property,” the statement read.
Earlier, the spokesman of the state police command, Tochukwu Ikenga, assured residents of their safety, urging them to go about their lawful business on Monday.
“The Anambra State police command, on behalf of all security agencies in the state, assures the public of its continued commitment to protecting lives and property and maintaining peace and security across the state,” Ikenga added.
In Ebonyi State, the police said it had put measures in place to protect lives and property.
The state police spokesperson, Joshua Ukandu, told our correspondent in Abakaliki, “We are prepared for this. We are not resting on our oars.
“Aside from our usual Monday patrols, we have put measures in place to ensure the security of lives and property. We urge members of the public to go about their lawful activities.”
The Imo State police command also assured residents that it had deployed forces in synergy with sister agencies to prevent any security breach.
State PPRO, Henry Okoye, said, “The measures already deployed are yielding significant results, as residents now go about their lawful businesses peacefully on Mondays and other days without intimidation.
The command urged Imolites to remain calm, law-abiding, and to promptly report any suspicious activities, as the police remain committed to the protection of lives and property in the state.”
According to Okoye, the police “Show of Force” and confidence-building patrols have helped assure residents of their safety. “Every Monday, we go for ‘Show of Force’ and confidence-building patrol, and this has helped to build back the confidence of citizens going about their local businesses.
“We will continue with our strategy. We will continue with confidence-building patrols on Monday, and raid suspected criminal hideouts,” Okoye said.
In Abia State, the Commissioner of Police, Danladi Isa, said, “Proactive measures have been emplaced as policemen have been deployed to strategic locations, including flash points, market areas, entry and exit points to forestall any anomaly.”
Also, Governor Alex Otti’s Special Adviser on Security Matters, Navy Commander MacDonald Ubah (retd.), told The PUNCH that the government would ensure the security of the lives and property of residents.
“We will continue to provide security for the lives and property. That is the work of the government,” he said.
Also, the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 34 Artillery Brigade, Owerri, Maj Hashimu Abdullahi, said the army had been working round-the-clock and would continue to safeguard residents.
Apart from routine show-of-force patrols, he declined to disclose operational plans.
“The 34 Artillery Brigade Owerri is committed to safety. The army is on alert, and the troops are making sure that everybody lives peacefully.
“Other operational measures involve coordination with all security agencies,” he said.
For residents of Owerri, the state capital, our correspondent observed that the sit-at-home cycle may be gradually winding down as schools, markets, and businesses, including banks, operate on Mondays, though they close earlier than usual. However, the cycle remains in force in hinterlands, especially Okigwe and Orlu zones, as people opt to stay indoors for their safety.
Efforts to reach the Commissioner for Information, Strategy, and Public Orientation, Declan Emelumba, were unsuccessful, as he did not answer calls made to his phone.
PETROAN said it summoned an emergency meeting with its National Executive Council after the NMDPRA raised the fuel under-dispensing issue.
The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has directed its members nationwide to immediately inspect their dispensing meters following concerns raised by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) over under-dispensing of petroleum products at retail outlets.
PETROAN National President, Billy Gillis-Harry, disclosed this on Wednesday during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief programme.
He said the association summoned an emergency meeting with its National Executive Council on Tuesday after the NMDPRA raised the issue, with the meeting lasting until about 10 pm.
“PETRON circulated a message around the country, calling our members to check their meters as quickly as possible,” Gillis-Harry said.
He added that several members had already begun inspecting their equipment, stressing that faulty meters could result in either under-dispensing or over-dispensing.
“Equipment can be faulty over time because of usage,” he said, recalling that he had previously lost money in his own retail business because a faulty meter was dispensing more fuel than customers paid for.
Gillis-Harry assured motorists that PETROAN members would continue to ensure that customers receive the quantity of fuel displayed on the pump.
“But I can tell you that PETRON members will, at all times, insist on making sure that they sell their products one litre for one litre,” he said.
The PETROAN President also urged motorists to pay attention to the quantity displayed on dispensing meters while buying fuel and to request receipts for their purchases.
He explained that customers should know the capacity of their vehicle’s fuel tank and compare it with the quantity displayed on the dispenser.
“Oftentimes, we educate our staff to call the attention of the patron to check the meter while it is being dispensed. And also to get the customer to check after the product has been dispensed,” he said.
According to him, PETROAN also works with the Weights and Measures Division of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and the NMDPRA to ensure that dispensing meters remain functional and accurate.
“PETRON consistently works with the Weights and Measures Division of the Ministry of Trade and Investment, and also the NMDPRA. These are the two regulatory authorities that ensure that our meters are functional. And they are up to date and accurate,” he said.
The NMDPRA has warned filling station operators against under-dispensing petroleum products, with outlets found short-changing consumers liable to sanctions, including the revocation of their operating licences.
Gillis-Harry said PETROAN had taken the regulator’s concerns seriously and had begun working with its members to address any possible faults.
“But we took what the NMDPRA called our attention to yesterday very seriously. And we already started working on that,” he said.
Channels
TEHRAN — Millions of Iranian children returned to classrooms on Wednesday as schools across the country reopened after months of disruption linked to the war and security situation in the region.
Parents accompanied their children to school, with girls arriving in uniforms and mandatory headscarves, as the new academic year began in Tehran and other parts of Iran.
The reopening follows months of uncertainty after classes were suspended following the outbreak of the conflict on February 28. One of the deadliest incidents occurred in the southern city of Minab, where a school was struck during the conflict, killing dozens of people, including children.
Iranian officials said the tragedy had cast a shadow over preparations for the new school year, with authorities taking steps to mark the return of students while remembering those killed.
In Minab on Wednesday, Iran’s Vice President for Science and Technology, Hossein Afshin, rang the school bell at a primary school to officially signal the start of the new academic term.
The traditional bell-ringing ceremony is normally associated with the president and forms part of nationwide celebrations welcoming approximately 16.5 million Iranian children back to school.
A separate ceremony featuring President Masoud Pezeshkian was held two days earlier this year, before the Iranian leader travelled to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly.
The reopening represents a return to normal educational activities after months in which the conflict disrupted daily life and forced schools to close in affected areas.
For many families, however, the first day back to school carries mixed emotions, coming after a period marked by military attacks, deaths and widespread disruption.
The government has sought to maintain the annual school-opening tradition despite the difficult circumstances, while officials have continued to commemorate victims of the conflict.
The new academic year will now see millions of Iranian students resume lessons as authorities attempt to restore regular schooling following the prolonged disruption.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has said that the administration of President Bola Tinubu, has fundamentally redefined infrastructure development across the nation’s capital.
Wike made the remarks on Wednesday in Abuja, while addressing newsmen after he inspected some ongoing road projects designed to de-congest traffic and unlock development across the territory.
The minister inspected the ongoing construction of Arterial Road SI, from Ring Road II to Arterial Road S20 (Oladipo Diya Way) in Kaura District and Collector Road C2 in Life Camp to Arterial Road N5 (Obafemi Awolowo Way).
He also inspected the ongoing construction of Arterial Road N16 from Ring Road II to Ring Road III and the Jereton Mariere Street by the Apo Legislative Quarters in Gudu District, as well as the ongoing remodeling and renovation of the IBB Golf Course.
“We are happy because we can see that the administration of President Bola Tinubu has redefined infrastructure as far as the FCT is concern,” Wike said.
Expressing satisfaction with the pace of work and quality of execution, the minister said that the administration remained on track to deliver the projects ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He particularly expressed optimism that the Arterial Road N16 would be completed as scheduled, in spite of the complex terrain and heavy bridge construction on the road corridor.
He noted that in spite of the difficult geography, the firm guaranteed delivery by the first week of January.
“If that N16 job is completed, obviously, the entire area will be a different thing altogether. That is a very huge infrastructure landmark,” he said.
Speaking on the renovation of the IBB Golf Course, the minister reaffirmed that the club would be fully operational and ready to host major tournaments by November.
Addressing financial backings for the ongoing projects, Wike said that the 2026 capital budget had hit 60 per cent performance.
He added that in spite of initial delays in budget release that briefly affected contractor payments, funding flow had stabilised, enabling contractors to work at full capacity.
He dismissed political rhetoric ahead of the upcoming election cycle, while advising political office seekers to focus on presenting their records to voters rather than engaging in distractions.
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