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 self determination since 2012. And the arrest and extradition of their supreme leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from Kenya heightened insecurity in South-East. IPOB initiated sit-at home order in South-East to create awareness locally and internationally in their bid to securing the release of their leader. The sit-at-home order has adverse socioeconomic consequences as it was later hijacked by hoodlums who committed havoc in the region. This study examined the socio-economic implications of IPOB’s sit-at-home order in South-East, Nigeria. The study adopted social contract theory as framework, whereas descriptive design was employed. Purposive sampling technique was utilized with a sample of thirty-six interviewees, thirty In-depth interviews and six Key informants selected from market leaders, religious leaders and school principals. Qualitative data were content analyzed with the aid of Nvivo software. IPOB’s sit-athome order in South-East Nigeria has great negative socio-economic implications on the people of the area. South-East economy was highly devastated. Foreign investments were eluded, insecurity, unemployment and underdevelopment became the order of the day as hoodlums hijacked the protest and committed series of atrocities in the region, hence the decline in economic activities, standard of education and high mortality rate. There is great need for dialogue geared towards securing the release of IPOB leader from detention so as to halt further devastating socio-economic effects of the sit-at-home order in South-East region.