As anticipation builds around the upcoming court hearing of detained Biafran leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has issued a sharp rebuke of the Nigerian government’s alleged media campaign aimed at tarnishing the group’s image.
In a statement released on Saturday, Comrade Emma Powerful, IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, accused the government of orchestrating a “well-financed media operation” to manipulate public opinion and distract from what he describes as a baseless case against Kanu.
“The APC government has no case against Kanu,” he declared, accusing pro-government media of spreading false narratives about IPOB’s alleged involvement in violence.
The group emphasized that IPOB is a non-violent, self-determination movement advocating for a democratic referendum to restore Biafra—not a terrorist organization as often portrayed.
Dismissing recent reports of a police raid on an “IPOB terror camp” in Imo State, IPOB claimed no such camps exist, instead blaming criminal elements unaffiliated with the group for insecurity in the region. They also pointed fingers at alleged collaboration between these elements and government officials.
Emma Powerful reiterated IPOB’s demands, including:
– The immediate release of Nnamdi Kanu from what they termed illegal detention.
– The formation of an international panel of inquiry, preferably led by the U.S., to investigate the true causes of insecurity in Igboland.
The statement also criticized the Tinubu-led administration, alleging a continuation of ethnic suppression and media complicity.
“Labeling IPOB as violent serves as a diversion from widespread insecurity and the government’s failures,” said Powerful, urging the international community to hold Nigeria accountable for “manipulative tactics and human rights violations.”
As Kanu’s court date draws closer, IPOB insists its mission remains peaceful, lawful, and rooted in the pursuit of self-determination.
