Nigeria’s Southeast Region in Economic Crisis Amid Ongoing Sit-at-Home Protests
In a plea for urgent intervention, the Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy, and Development (FENRAD) has expressed deep concern over the escalating economic disruption caused by the sit-at-home order in Nigeria’s Southeast zone. The organization is warning of a severe economic crisis for millions of citizens across the region.
The sit-at-home directive, originally intended as a peaceful protest, was initiated by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) following the detention of their leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. However, it has now spiraled out of control, with the Southeast, once a vibrant economic hub, severely crippled by the continued enforcement of the sit-at-home orders. The region’s entrepreneurial spirit, trade, and commerce have all been severely impacted.
According to a statement issued by Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, Executive Director of FENRAD, the economic disruption has caused massive losses, with businesses losing billions of naira every week. The shutdown has also led to job losses and unemployment, exacerbating poverty levels and affecting vulnerable populations, including women, children, and low-income earners. Schools have also been forced to close on sit-at-home days, disrupting the education of millions of children.
FENRAD believes the continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is fueling the unrest and deepening the crisis. The organization has called for his unconditional release, which has been ordered by both Nigerian courts and international human rights organizations. FENRAD also urged the Federal Government to engage in constructive dialogue with IPOB, traditional rulers, community leaders, and civil society organizations to address the underlying grievances.
The organization has appealed for immediate economic relief measures to cushion the devastating impact of the sit-at-home orders, including support for small and medium-sized businesses, traders, and vulnerable populations.
In a statement, FENRAD emphasized that the Southeast region cannot continue to suffer from economic paralysis while the issues that have led to the crisis remain unresolved. “It is time for peace, progress, and prosperity to return to the region, and this can only be achieved through justice, dialogue, and reconciliation,” the statement read.
The organization appealed to the Nigerian government, IPOB, and all stakeholders to work together in the interest of the Southeast and the nation as a whole, emphasizing that the economic future of the region is at stake.
