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By Tracy Moses
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr. Obi Aguocha, has warned Governor Chukwuma Soludo against abruptly ending the Monday sit-at-home order in Anambra State, cautioning that such a move could worsen insecurity across the South-East.
Aguocha, who represents Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency of Abia State, said initiatives by him and other stakeholders to stabilize the region were gradually yielding results before what he described as the governor’s recent intervention.
He also warned that the continued detention of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, by the Federal Government would continue to fuel agitation and violence in the region.
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja, Aguocha said Soludo’s actions had unsettled a fragile peace that was slowly returning to the South-East.
“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.
He highlighted that over the last three years, many markets, plazas, and shopping centres across the South-East had gradually returned to normalcy. “I have worked tirelessly in this direction, and peace was steadily returning to our rural and commercial trading centres,” he added.
While acknowledging that the governor’s intention to end the sit-at-home might be well-meaning, Aguocha argued that the method adopted was counterproductive.
“The governor’s effort has been executed in the most unconstructive and unacceptable manner.
These misguided ordinances and actions have reignited embers of fear, hardened resistance, and resurrected old resentments which, if left unchecked, could plunge the region into renewed violence, serious crimes, and widespread criminality,” he said.
Aguocha emphasized that the state government has no legal authority to compel private business owners to open or close their shops.
“Gov. Soludo cannot force, punish, or compel private business owners to close or open their shops, or to trade or refrain from trading,” he said, questioning whether similar measures would apply to those who close their businesses early on Wednesdays to attend midweek religious services.
“Such decisions fall squarely within the ambit of their fundamental rights and are not governed by any state, labour, or market-union relationship,” he added.
On the broader security crisis, the lawmaker said the failure of the Federal Government to address core grievances in the region remained a major driver of unrest.
“Until the Nigerian state genuinely and sincerely addresses the unjust detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the bias in the administration of criminal justice, the marginalization and entrenched hostility against the Igbo people, and the root causes of youth agitation, we must brace ourselves for a vicious cycle of resentment,” Aguocha warned.
He also cautioned against attempts to coerce political support from the South-East. “If nothing urgent is done, no one should expect votes from the region on the basis of being coerced, manipulated, or compelled. Our votes will count, and we will defend them, even at the cost of our lives,” he said.
The lawmaker pledged to continue pursuing “the best path towards freedom and justice” as a member of the House of Representatives, guided by the hopes and prayers of his constituents.
The Monday sit-at-home order in the South-East began in 2021 following the arrest and extradition of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu.
Initially observed as a protest demanding his release, the directive gradually became enforced through fear, threats, and violent attacks by armed groups, leading to widespread closure of businesses, schools, and markets every Monday.
Although IPOB later announced the suspension of the sit-at-home order, compliance continued in many areas due to lingering fear and insecurity.
Successive state governments have since struggled to restore normal economic activities, with enforcement measures often triggering fresh tension and resistance among residents.