The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra has announced a region-wide sit-at-home order for Saturday, May 30, 2026, alongside church memorial services to mark the 59th anniversary of the declaration of Biafra.
The group also directed churches across the South-East and parts of the South-South to hold special thanksgiving and remembrance services on Sunday, May 31, in honour of those who died during the Nigerian Civil War.
According to a statement issued by the group’s National Director of Information, Edeson Samuel, the activities are part of events commemorating the May 30, 1967 declaration of Biafra by the late General Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.
MASSOB said all commercial and public activities are expected to be suspended during the sit-at-home period.
The statement ordered that markets, schools, banks, motor parks, and other business centres remain closed between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. on May 30.
“The closure of these public places is a mark of honour and remembrance for the sacrifices made during the struggle for Biafra,” the group said.
It described the observance as a period of “sober reflection, remembrance, and peaceful civil disobedience.”
The organisation added that Sunday’s church services are intended to honour victims of the civil war and to reflect on the ongoing agitation for self-determination.
“MASSOB has declared that churches should hold memorial and thanksgiving services to remember those who lost their lives during the war,” the statement read.
The group also expressed solidarity with the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, calling for his release.
While urging compliance with the sit-at-home directive, MASSOB advised its members against engaging in confrontations with security agencies.
It also warned against street protests or public demonstrations, stressing that the commemoration should remain peaceful.
“There will be no marches, rallies, or public gatherings. Members are advised to remain calm and avoid any activity that could lead to confrontation,” the group cautioned.
The annual May 30 observance is marked by pro-Biafra groups to remember the declaration of the defunct Republic of Biafra in 1967 and the civil war that followed, which lasted until 1970.
Security presence is expected to be heightened across major cities in the South-East during the period, as authorities often enforce movement restrictions linked to similar sit-at-home orders.
