 has firmly declared that its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, is a prisoner of conscience who is being){kind=link}
We are not begging for mercy. We demand justice. The world is watching, and history will not be kind to those who use the instruments of justice as weapons of oppression
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has firmly declared that its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, is a prisoner of conscience who is being unjustly detained by the Nigerian government.
The group emphasized that Kanu has no criminal case to answer and described his continued persecution as a gross violation of his fundamental rights and an indictment of Nigeria’s judicial system.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, the group condemned what it termed a deliberate and sustained judicial travesty. It stressed that IPOB is not pleading for leniency, but unequivocally demanding justice.
“We call on all Nigerians, the international community, and defenders of justice to pay attention: Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has no case to answer,” the statement read. “His ongoing detention is not only illegal but also exposes the rot within Nigeria’s judiciary, which has become a cesspool of judicial terrorism and criminal dereliction.”
According to IPOB, contrary to the narratives pushed by the Nigerian government and sections of the media, Kanu is neither a terrorist nor a traitor. The charges of treasonable felony initially brought against him, the group pointed out, were dismissed years ago when the former Attorney General, Abubakar Malami, realized they lacked merit and were unlikely to succeed in court.
IPOB accused the government of desperation to suppress the Biafran self-determination movement by fabricating terrorism charges. The group reminded the public that a Federal High Court had earlier declared IPOB a lawful organization—only for that judgment to be undermined by forum shopping.
It cited the actions of Malami, who procured a proscription order from Justice Kafarati’s court without giving IPOB the constitutionally guaranteed right to a fair hearing under Section 36 of the Nigerian Constitution.
“This act alone exposes the Nigerian judiciary not as a beacon of justice, but as an instrument of political oppression,” IPOB stated.
Particularly troubling, the group noted, is the abuse of judicial process witnessed at the Court of Appeal. IPOB condemned the use of a civil procedure—specifically, a stay of execution—to reverse a valid ruling in a criminal case that had previously discharged and acquitted Kanu.
“Such legal gymnastics by Justice Tsammani and his co-panelists mock the principles of law and fairness,” the group asserted. “It is unprecedented for a criminal acquittal to be reversed using a civil procedural tool. This blatant manipulation of legal processes has turned Nigeria’s judiciary into a global laughingstock.”
IPOB further warned that Nigeria’s relentless persecution of Kanu not only undermines its own rule of law but also exposes a wider neo-colonial agenda to stifle the legitimate aspirations of the Biafran people. It called on Nigerians and the international community to critically study the legal anomalies in Kanu’s case and recognize the hypocrisy of a state that claims to uphold justice while trampling on it.
“This is not merely a case about one man,” the statement emphasized. “It is an attack on the very ideals of justice, truth, and the rule of law. The Tinubu-led administration is walking a dangerous path that threatens what remains of Nigeria’s international credibility.”
IPOB praised the unyielding spirit and courage of Kanu, even in the face of intense state oppression. Referencing leaked interrogation footage, the group stated that his resilience serves as a testament to the righteousness of the Biafran cause.
“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu remains resolute in his commitment to the self-determination of the Biafran people,” IPOB said. “His courage in captivity is not just inspiring—it is a warning that truth and justice, though delayed, will never be defeated.”
IPOB reiterated its firm position: “We are not begging for mercy. We demand justice. The world is watching, and history will not be kind to those who use the instruments of justice as weapons of oppression.”