Charges Against Nnamdi Kanu Baseless — IPOB Declares

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has once again called on the Nigerian government and the international community to intervene in what it described as the “unlawful persecution” of its detained leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, insisting he is a “prisoner of conscience” who has no criminal case to answer.

The group in a statement issued on Saturday by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, accused the Nigerian state of weaponizing the judiciary against Kanu and the broader Biafran cause.

“We call on Nigerians, the international community, and all lovers of justice to heed this clarion call: Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has no case to answer,” the statement read.

“The continued persecution of our leader is not only a gross violation of his fundamental rights but also an indictment of Nigeria’s judiciary, which has descended into a cesspool of judicial terrorism and criminal dereliction of duty.”

According to IPOB, charges of treasonable felony that were initially brought against Kanu had been struck out years ago by the former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, after he allegedly realized the charges were legally untenable.

“Let us set the record straight: the treasonable felony charges against our leader were struck out years ago when the former Attorney General, Abubakar Malami, realized the case was unwinnable. No treason was committed,” the group said.

IPOB also condemned what it called the fabrication of terrorism charges against its members, even after a Federal High Court reportedly ruled that the organization is lawful.

“The Nigerian state, in its desperation to silence the Biafran struggle, resorted to fabricating terrorism charges, despite the Federal High Court’s clear ruling that IPOB is a lawful organization.

“This ruling was brazenly overturned through forum shopping by Malami, who secured a proscription order from Justice Kafarati’s court without granting IPOB the fair hearing guaranteed under Section 36 of Nigeria’s Constitution.”

The statement harshly criticized the Nigerian judiciary, accusing it of being complicit in a broader political agenda to suppress the self-determination movement.

“This act alone exposes the Nigerian judiciary as a tool of oppression rather than a bastion of justice,” IPOB stated.

In what it described as the most “egregious abuse of judicial process,” the group took aim at Justice Haruna Tsammani and his panel at the Court of Appeal. It condemned the use of a stay of execution—a civil legal procedure—to overturn what IPOB claims was a valid judgment in a criminal case that had acquitted Kanu.

“They employed a civil procedure—stay of execution—to overturn a valid judgment reached in a criminal trial, a ruling that had discharged and acquitted Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” the statement said. “This is a judicial travesty that defies the principles of law and justice.”

IPOB stressed that its leader remains steadfast in his commitment to the Biafran cause, despite his continued incarceration by the Department of State Services (DSS).

“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is a prisoner of conscience, detained for his unwavering commitment to the self-determination of the Biafran people,” Emma Powerful asserted.

“The Nigerian state has no case against him. Should he ever take the stand to defend himself, the world will witness the unraveling of Nigeria’s façade of justice.”

The group warned that the continued detention of Kanu poses a serious threat to Nigeria’s international reputation and internal stability.

“This persecution is not just an attack on one man but an assault on justice, truth, and the rule of law. Nigeria risks destroying whatever is left of its global reputation and reducing its judiciary to a laughingstock.”

IPOB further accused the Tinubu administration of being bent on silencing Kanu, warning that such actions only intensify the commitment of Biafran supporters.

“Those encouraging the Tinubu regime to persist in this dangerous path do not wish Nigeria well,” IPOB said.

“They underestimate the unyielding resolve and fanatical devotion of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to the cause of Biafra. His courage, even in chains, as evidenced in videos of his interrogations by the DSS, stands as a testament to his unbreakable spirit and the righteousness of our cause.”

As the legal and political standoff continues, IPOB reiterated that it is not seeking mercy, but rather demanding justice.

“We are not begging for mercy; we demand justice. God Almighty, the ultimate witness to truth, stands with us,” the group said.

Charges Against Nnamdi Kanu Baseless — IPOB Declares is first published on The Whistler Newspaper