IPOB and the Economy of Igbos in the South East of Nigeria: 1999-2021

South East region of Nigeria is made up principally of the Igbos; since independence to the period of this study, people in the region believe and feel marginalized within the Nigerian federal structure leading to a series of agitations and separatist activities, even a civil war between the Nigerian Federal Government and the self declared republic of Biafra between 1967-1970. Though hostilities ended in 1970, the losses associated with the brutal war were huge, the economy of the region suffered greatly and only picked-up from the 1980's and early 1990's. Nevertheless, the problem of perceived marginalization, agitation and separation has not abated: this agitation has led to the emergence in 2012 of another separatist group in the South East called the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) which continued with its separatist agitation even on a higher scale. The result has been serious chaos, with more devastating havoc wrecked on the economy of the Igbos in the South East causing major problem to the economic development and peaceful life in the South East. This paper seeks to examine the nature of IPOB's activities especially to know how these activities have affected the economy of the South East within the study period. The paper made use of qualitative method of research relying mostly on secondary sources such as magazines, newspaper and internet materials. Relative deprivation theory was adopted for the purpose of this paper. Findings showed that the activities of this group have been destructive of the economy relating to investment, trade, commerce and education, just as they have also caused so much poverty, sufferings and deaths with a crumbling effect on the economy of the Igbos.