Pro-Biafra group issues strong statement over detained leader’s health
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has issued a strong warning to the Nigerian government and the Department of State Services (DSS) regarding the deteriorating health of its detained leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
In a statement released on Monday, IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful cautioned that Nigeria is “toying with catastrophe” by allegedly failing to provide adequate medical care for Kanu while in custody.
Kanu, who was rearrested in 2021 and is currently being held by the DSS in Abuja, is facing trial on charges related to treason and terrorism. He is also the founding leader of IPOB, a separatist group advocating for the creation of an independent state of Biafra from parts of Nigeria’s southeast.
Nnamdi Kanu is “priceless,” says IPOB
The IPOB spokesperson described Kanu as “priceless” and emphasized that the group would not tolerate what it perceives as attempts to endanger his life through neglect or judicial delays. The group insisted that the federal government and its security agencies are responsible for his wellbeing.
A portion of the statement read:
“Let it be clearly understood: Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is priceless, and no amount of blackmail, judicial rascality, or DSS-induced health crisis will be tolerated.”
Powerful added that the alleged mistreatment of Kanu could trigger a crisis of unprecedented proportions in the country and the wider region. He drew a historical parallel with the events that triggered World War I, warning that seemingly small provocations can have catastrophic outcomes.
IPOB calls for international intervention
In the statement, IPOB called on international organizations, human rights groups, and peace advocates around the world to intervene in the matter. The group urged these bodies to pressure the Nigerian government to ensure Kanu’s release and provide him with immediate and appropriate medical treatment.
“We call on all peace-loving people across the world, international bodies, and human rights organizations to prevail upon the Nigerian government to do the right thing before it is too late,” the statement continued.
The group also accused the Nigerian government of playing “reckless and provocative” games with Kanu’s health, warning that such actions are unsustainable and could lead to serious unrest.
Government yet to respond to new allegations
As of the time of writing, the Nigerian government and the DSS have not issued an official response to the latest claims by IPOB. However, in the past, the DSS has stated that Kanu is receiving adequate care and that his legal rights are being upheld.
Kanu’s legal team has also previously raised concerns over his health and called for his release on humanitarian grounds, but court proceedings have so far not granted him bail.
Background on Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB
Nnamdi Kanu first came to prominence in the mid-2010s through Radio Biafra, a broadcasting platform used to promote the IPOB agenda. The group was later designated a terrorist organization by the Nigerian government in 2017, a designation IPOB and its supporters have consistently rejected.
Kanu fled Nigeria after being granted bail in 2017, but was later rearrested in 2021 under controversial circumstances that drew global attention. Since then, he has remained in the custody of the DSS while legal battles continue over the charges brought against him.
Conclusion
The renewed warning from IPOB underscores the continued tension surrounding Nnamdi Kanu’s detention and highlights the broader political and ethnic divisions in Nigeria. As calls for his release grow louder both domestically and internationally, the handling of his case remains a critical test for the Nigerian justice system and the government’s approach to national unity and human rights.
