The proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has announced the indefinite suspension of the office of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, and the position of director of Radio Biafra, following what it described as concerns over communications allegedly emanating from prison.
Key Highlights:
- IPOB suspended Nnamdi Kanu‘s leadership office indefinitely.
- The group cited concerns over alleged prison communications.
- IPOB’s Directorate of State has taken over the group’s affairs.
- The group said the move will prevent unauthorized actions and violence.
- The decision follows reports that Kanu had appointed a new leadership team.
In a statement issued on Thursday, by Chikadibia Edoziem, head of IPOB’s directorate of state, the group said the decision was reached after a full-house meeting of its leadership on Wednesday.
According to the statement, the leadership reviewed intelligence reports relating to communications allegedly linked to Kanu from Sokoto prison and resolved that the directorate of state would henceforth oversee the administration of the organisation and direct its activities.
The group maintained that IPOB was established and nurtured collectively by Biafrans in the Diaspora and not by a single individual, stressing that no person possesses the authority to dissolve the directorate of state, which it described as the apex leadership organ of the movement.
IPOB said it was compelled to act after observing that some communications attributed to Kanu had allegedly led to arrests and deaths of members in the South-East.
The organisation also expressed concerns over what it described as plans by certain individuals to establish a new militia in the region, warning that such a move could trigger renewed violence.
It stated that the suspension was intended to prevent individuals from committing crimes or taking actions in the name of the suspended leadership office.
“The suspension will prevent unchecked actions, reckless assumption of authority and unguarded utterances from resulting in the reckless arrests, torture and needless death of Biafran youths,” the statement said.
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IPOB further declared that it would no longer accept responsibility for activities carried out by individuals or groups acting without official authorisation from its recognised leadership structure.
The development comes a day after reports emerged that Kanu had dissolved the third administration of the Directorate of State and constituted a new leadership team.
Under the reported arrangement, US-based Chris Nwaọgụ was appointed head of a newly constituted fourth administration of the directorate of state and directed to immediately assume responsibility for the day-to-day management of IPOB affairs.
The directorate of state was established by Kanu in 2012, as the administrative arm of IPOB. It has previously been led by Justin Akujieze, Uchenna Asiegbu and Edoziem.
Meanwhile, Kanu is currently serving a life sentence following his conviction in November 2025 by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on terrorism-related charges.
The court held that his broadcasts incited violence that resulted in deaths and attacks on security personnel and civilians in parts of the South-East.
