The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has announced a full lockdown across Nigeria’s south-east and parts of the south-south region on May 30, 2025, in honour of those who died during the Biafran conflict.
In a statement issued on Monday, IPOB’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, said the group has declared May 30 as Biafra Heroes Memorial Day, a day for reflection and remembrance of those who lost their lives in the struggle for Biafran independence.
According to the statement, the sit-at-home order will last from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and all “Biafrans residing in Biafra land” are expected to comply. IPOB called the move “a tribute to those who battled and perished in the Nigerian genocidal war against Biafra.”
“We urge everyone to stay indoors. No school, no church, no mosque, no markets, no meetings, no movements,” the group stated.
The only people allowed to move around on that day, according to IPOB, are essential workers such as doctors, nurses, journalists, ambulance drivers, police officers, firefighters, and fuel station attendants.
IPOB also revealed that it has reached out to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), asking them to reschedule the May/June Senior Secondary Certificate Exams in areas affected by the lockdown. Messages were also sent to governors across the south-east and south-south.
The group emphasized that no protests will take place within Nigeria to avoid clashes with security forces.
However, IPOB members abroad are expected to hold peaceful demonstrations or town hall meetings in their host countries to honour the fallen heroes and call for the release of their detained leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
They further encouraged families to spend the day sharing stories and remembering the Biafran War of 1967–1970, as well as reflecting on what IPOB calls the “ongoing marginalisation of the Igbo people in Nigeria.”