The Indigenous People of Biafra has alleged that the Nigerian government’s refusal to release its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, stems from his unwavering stance on the Biafra movement.
IPOB claims Kanu is being persecuted, not prosecuted, due to his unyielding commitment to the cause.
According to IPOB’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, Kanu remains a prisoner of conscience and should be released unconditionally.
Powerful emphasized that Kanu has not committed any recognizable crime under local or international law, according to Daily Post.
IPOB asserts that the Nigerian government’s actions are driven by ethnic hatred against the Igbo people.
The group maintains that it will not be destroyed or intimidated into abandoning its struggle for Biafra.
The international community has been urged to condemn Kanu’s continued persecution and human rights violations.
IPOB warns that Kanu’s detention will further expose Nigeria’s democratic shortcomings.
Since Kanu’s extraordinary rendition and detention, Nigeria has faced economic and security challenges. IPOB attributes these woes to the injustice against Kanu and the Igbo people.
The group remains resolute in its demand for a referendum and vows not to be swayed by persecution or intimidation.
IPOB concludes that Biafra’s emergence is inevitable and that Nigeria must consider the long-term consequences of its actions.
A statement by Powerful reads partly: “The Directorate of State (DOS) of the global family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), led by Nnamdi Kanu, wishes to remind the public and the international community that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, remains a prisoner of conscience in Nigeria’s custody.
“The Nigerian government and her cronies know that Mazi Kanu has not committed any crime known to local or international bodies but continue to display their ethnic hatred against Ndigbo by persecuting Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. He has not been let go because he has not compromised his stand on Biafra, and IPOB has not been destroyed. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is being persecuted, not prosecuted.
“The Nigerian government should understand that IPOB cannot be destroyed but can only be emboldened as long as the lawless Nigerian government keeps persecuting us. Moreover, our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, understands the potency of our collective oath in this struggle and will not yield to the Nigerian government’s antics.
“The international community must rise and condemn the continuous persecution and human rights violations of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and Ndigbo in general by the bigoted government of Nigeria. We assure the Nigerian government that IPOB cannot be intimidated into abandoning the Biafra struggle. They must be reminded that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s continuous persecution will further expose the mockery of the so-called democracy in Nigeria.
“The Nigerian government should not forget that since they kidnapped and extraordinary renditioned Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Nigeria has been bedeviled with economic and security woes and will continue until the injustice against Ndigbo, as exemplified in the persecution of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, is addressed.
“IPOB and Mazi Nnamdi Kanu remain resolute in our demand for a referendum and will not be intimidated or persecuted into submission by the tyranny of the government of Nigeria. In the end, Biafra will come, but the wounds of the persecution and wickedness against Ndigbo will take decades to heal. Nigeria must consider the future with the wounds it inflicted on Biafrans in mind.”
