Socio-economic Implications of IPOB’s sit-at-home Order in South-East, Nigeria: A Preliminary Qualitative Investigation

Abstract

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have been agitating for their selfdeterminationsince 2012. And the arrest and extradition of their supreme leader, MaziNnamdi Kanu from Kenya heightened insecurity in South-East. IPOB initiated sit-athomeorder in South-East to create awareness locally and internationally in their bidto securing the release of their leader. The sit-at-home order has adverse socioeconomicconsequences as it was later hijacked by hoodlums who committed havoc inthe region. This study examined the socio-economic implications of IPOB’s sit-at-homeorder in South-East, Nigeria. The study adopted social contract theory as framework,whereas descriptive design was employed. Purposive sampling technique was utilizedwith a sample of thirty-six interviewees, thirty In-depth interviews and six Keyinformants selected from market leaders, religious leaders and school principals.Qualitative data were content analyzed with the aid of Nvivo software. IPOB’s sit-athomeorder in South-East Nigeria has great negative socio-economic implications onthe people of the area. South-East economy was highly devastated. Foreigninvestments were eluded, insecurity, unemployment and underdevelopment became theorder of the day as hoodlums hijacked the protest and committed series of atrocities inthe region, hence the decline in economic activities, standard of education and highmortality rate. There is great need for dialogue geared towards securing the release ofIPOB leader from detention so as to halt further devastating socio-economic effects ofthe sit-at-home order in South-East region.