The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has issued a stern warning to Igbo politicians and leaders, urging them to cease exploiting the detention of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, for personal political gains.
In a press statement released on August 12, 2024, by IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful, the group emphasized that Kanu's incarceration is not a matter of Nigerian politics but a consequence of his relentless efforts to achieve Biafran freedom and restore the Biafran nation.
IPOB accused certain Igbo leaders of using Kanu's "unjust persecution and illegal incarceration" as a tool to advance their political ambitions. The group alleged that some of these leaders are secretly collaborating with the Federal Government to keep Kanu in DSS custody, fearing his release might undermine their political influence.
"Some of these Abuja sycophants take glory in IPOB matters to resuscitate their dwindling political influence in the South-East. We are watching them closely," the statement read.
The pro-Biafran group commended those sincere Igbo politicians genuinely working for Kanu's release, encouraging them to persist in their efforts.
IPOB asserted its control over the South-East region and praised Ndigbo for adhering to their instructions not to participate in the #EndBadGovernance protests, which they claimed could have led to violence against Igbo communities by the Federal Government.
Emma Powerful further warned, "To those using the suffering of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to advance their political interests should desist; otherwise, IPOB will call you out publicly and also frustrate your political interests in the South-East."
The group stressed that as long as Kanu remains in illegal detention, the Nigerian economy and security would continue to suffer, and Ndigbo would remain politically irrelevant in Nigeria.
Kanu, who founded IPOB in 2012, was re-arrested in Kenya on June 27, 2021, after jumping bail in 2017. He has since been held in DSS custody, facing charges of terrorism, treasonable felony, and inciting violence through his Radio Biafra broadcasts.
Despite court orders for his release, Kanu remains detained, a situation IPOB claims is exacerbated by ethnic bias and political manipulation.
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