The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has strongly denied claims made by Nigeria’s Minister of Works, David Umahi, suggesting that negotiations are ongoing for the release of its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
In a statement issued Tuesday by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, IPOB described Umahi’s comments as “reckless and contemptuous,” calling them “laughable propaganda” meant to deceive the public and weaken the resolve of those fighting for Biafra’s independence.
“The global family of IPOB has been alerted to the reckless statement by Minister David Umahi, who falsely claimed that negotiations are ongoing for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s release,” the statement read. “This propaganda is an insult to both him and the millions who believe in the Biafran cause.”
IPOB firmly stated that Kanu has not entered into any talks or accepted any conditions from the Nigerian government. Instead, the group reiterated its call for a United Nations-supervised referendum to allow the people of Biafra decide their future.
“There are no negotiations involving Mazi Nnamdi Kanu agreeing to any so-called conditions from the Nigerian government. None whatsoever,” IPOB declared. “He is a freedom fighter, not a politician bargaining for comfort. The only valid solution is a UN-backed referendum.”
The group highlighted Kanu’s ongoing detention, noting that he has spent nearly seven years in custody—five of them in solitary confinement under extremely harsh conditions. IPOB recounted Kanu’s suffering, including torture, physical abuse, the loss of his parents, and numerous legal challenges described as “judicial terrorism.”
“Why would anyone believe a man who has lost so much and endured so many abuses would now beg for release under humiliating conditions?” the statement questioned.
IPOB also criticized Simon Ekpa, referencing a court case in Finland where Ekpa reportedly retracted claims of leading a “Biafran government-in-exile.” The group used the incident to contrast Kanu’s sacrifices with what it sees as Ekpa’s opportunism.
Warning against political misinformation, IPOB urged Umahi and others to stop spreading “lies and false hopes,” emphasizing that Nnamdi Kanu’s release must come through justice, not secret negotiations or political favors.
“No mortal, no regime—no matter how brutal—can force Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to abandon the Biafra cause,” IPOB concluded. “The Nigerian government is only worsening its crisis by continuing to detain him illegally. Injustice always breeds resistance.”
Kanu has been held by the Department of State Services (DSS) since his controversial arrest and extraordinary rendition from Kenya in June 2021. Despite numerous legal challenges, both local and international human rights groups continue to call for his unconditional release