Sit-at-home protests lead to '700 deaths' in southeast

A sit-at-home order by banned separatist group Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Nigeria's southeast has led to the death of over 700 people in the region over the past four years, an intelligence consultancy said in a new report.

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The IPOB, campaigning for the secession of the southeast that is predominantly inhabited by the Igbo ethnic group, has been labelled a terrorist organisation by Nigerian authorities.

SBM Intelligence reported that the fatalities resulted from the killing of civilians who defied the weekly stay-at-home order every Monday and on other specific days, as well as from clashes between the IPOB and Nigerian security forces.

"IPOB's enforcement tactics, including arson, looting and targeted assassinations, have created a climate of fear," the SBM report said.