Biafra Government In Exile [BRGIE] Declares Three-Day Lockdown, Vows Anambra Election Will Not Hold This Saturday

 

The Biafra Republic Government in Exile (BRGIE) has declared that the scheduled Anambra governorship election set for this Saturday, November 8, 2025, will not take place in the South-East region of Nigeria. The group announced a three-day sit-at-home directive across the region, starting Thursday, November 6, through Saturday, November 8, 2025, as part of a protest over the continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and the imprisonment of its prime minister, Simon Ekpa, in Finland.

Ogechukwu Nkere, the acting Prime Minister of BRGIE, made the announcement in a statement released on Wednesday. He emphasized that Biafrans were united in rejecting the planned Anambra election, describing it as an “illegal Nigerian activity on Biafran soil.” According to Nkere, the directive aims to demonstrate the people’s determination to complete their separation from Nigeria and to demand justice for their detained leaders.

The group accused Nigerian security agencies of subjecting Nnamdi Kanu to harsh conditions and denying him access to proper medical care in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS). It also condemned Finland’s government for allegedly collaborating with Nigerian and European officials to detain Simon Ekpa, whom BRGIE described as a legitimate political leader representing the will of the Biafran people.

BRGIE commended former United States President Donald Trump for designating Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged religious persecution, describing it as a step toward global recognition of the challenges facing Christians and Biafrans in Nigeria. The statement urged the U.S. government to go further by imposing sanctions on Nigerian officials responsible for human rights violations in the South-East.

The acting Prime Minister stated that Biafrans had already decided their future through a referendum held in 2024. According to BRGIE, more than 50 million people voted in favor of independence, and 517 delegates ratified the formal Declaration of Biafra’s Independence on December 2, 2024, in Lahti, Finland. Nkere asserted that the people’s mandate was final and that “there will be no going back to Nigeria.”

In a strongly worded warning, the group stated that any attempt by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct the Anambra governorship poll this Saturday would be met with “total civil resistance.” It called on residents to observe the sit-at-home order strictly and avoid any political activities throughout the period.

“The old order of Nigerian elections is dead in Biafra territory,” BRGIE declared. “Anyone attempting to participate in or organize this illegal exercise is aiding oppression and will face the consequences from the people of Biafra.”

The organization also accused South-East political leaders of betraying their people by aligning with Abuja for personal gain. Nkere condemned the region’s governors and senators for branding the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as terrorists while remaining silent about violent extremist groups in northern Nigeria. He alleged that these leaders were “clapping for Boko Haram while ignoring the genocide of Christians in their own homeland.”

BRGIE’s statement further criticized what it described as a conspiracy between Nigerian politicians and foreign interests to suppress the Biafra movement. It maintained that despite the arrests and imprisonments of key figures, the struggle for independence was gaining greater international support, especially from Western governments and human rights groups.

“Neither the kidnapping of Nnamdi Kanu nor the imprisonment of Simon Ekpa can stop the Biafra movement,” the group asserted. “The more they oppress us, the more determined we become. The world is beginning to understand the truth, and our freedom is inevitable.”

BRGIE expressed confidence that its ongoing diplomatic efforts in Washington, D.C., were yielding results. It said its next objective was to secure sanctions, travel restrictions, and asset freezes against Nigerian officials accused of involvement in extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and systematic persecution of Biafrans.

As tensions rise ahead of the Anambra election this Saturday, security experts warn that the BRGIE directive could trigger widespread compliance in parts of the South-East. The development places Nigeria’s electoral authorities under immense pressure, as uncertainty grows over whether the polls can proceed without disruption.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has yet to respond officially to BRGIE’s latest declaration, but analysts suggest the threat could significantly affect voter turnout and logistics across Anambra State. Observers note that the coming hours will reveal whether the Nigerian government can maintain calm in the face of what has become one of the most tense pre-election climates in recent memory.