KEY POINTS
- Aguocha warns Soludo that ending sit-at-home may escalate insecurity.
- Lawmaker says private business owners cannot be compelled to open shops.
- Detention of Nnamdi Kanu continues to fuel unrest in South-East.
A member of Nigeria’s House of Representatives has warned Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo that efforts to halt the Monday sit-at-home order could escalate insecurity across the South-East, arguing that the region’s fragile peace is at risk.
Obi Aguocha, chairman of the House Committee on Monitoring and Evaluation, said in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja that markets, plazas, and commercial centres had gradually returned to normalcy over the last three years, but recent government actions risk reigniting fear and resistance among residents.
He also noted that the ongoing detention of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu by the Federal Government continues to fuel agitation and unrest.
Aguocha warns Soludo against aggressive intervention
“Gov Soludo, unfortunately, has unleashed terror on an army of silent agitators who, for so long, had helped to abate the significance of the Monday sit-at-home rituals,” Aguocha said.
While describing the governor’s intentions to end the sit-at-home as well-meaning, he argued that the methods adopted were counterproductive. Aguocha said the state has no legal authority to compel private business owners to open or close their shops, and punitive measures could further inflame tensions.
He questioned whether authorities would enforce the rules on midweek religious closures as well, emphasizing that citizens have the fundamental right to make private decisions about their business operations.
Lawmaker links unrest to broader regional grievances
Aguocha said the root causes of youth agitation in the South-East remain unaddressed, including perceived bias in the criminal justice system, marginalization of the Igbo people, and Kanu’s detention. “Until the Nigerian state genuinely addresses these issues, we must brace ourselves for a vicious cycle of resentment,” he warned.
The lawmaker also cautioned that attempts to coerce political support from the region would fail. “Our votes will count, and we will defend them, even at the cost of our lives,” he said, pledging to pursue freedom and justice for his constituents.
Supporters began observing the Monday sit-at-home order in 2021 following Kanu’s arrest and extradition, using it to protest and demand his release. While IPOB has since suspended the directive, compliance continues in parts of the South-East due to fear and insecurity, with enforcement by armed groups periodically disrupting economic and social activities.
