From Monday, October 21, 2024, the South-East observed a two-day sit-at-home directive that extended into Tuesday, October 22. This particular sit-at-home was however unlike any other.

The latest exercise stemmed from a viral video which showed an unidentified man asking residents to observe sit-at-home on 21 and 22 October because Biafran soldiers, within the period, would launch their armoured vehicles and foist Biafra flags in the South-east.

He also claimed that the sit-at-home order was to avoid innocent residents being hit by stray bullets in the event of a shootout between Biafra fighters and personnel of the Nigerian army.

Historically, sit-at-home orders in the South-East which began in August 2021 have served as a form of protest against perceived injustices, particularly regarding the plight of detained IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu.

While the economic and security impacts of the sit-at-home orders have been thoroughly articulated, another dimension has largely been overlooked: the evolving identity of the South-East and its implications for the region’s future in Nigeria. 

Since the Civil War, the South-East has been perceived to face marginalization, and the recent resurgence of sit-at-home orders raises critical questions about the identity being forged in response to these circumstances. Are the actions taken by pro-Biafra groups inadvertently reinforcing negative perceptions of the South-East, further alienating its people from national political dynamics?

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