The apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has warned the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), urging the group to desist from interfering in its internal affairs and to stop aligning with individuals who, it claims, are benefitting from the continued detention of IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
In a statement signed by Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Deputy President-General of Ohanaeze, and Chief Thompson Ohia, National Spokesman, the group accused IPOB of being manipulated into supporting persons who are directly or indirectly responsible for Kanu’s prolonged incarceration.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo contends that IPOB has been manoeuvred into a position where it unwittingly supports those complicit in Kanu’s detention, thereby undermining the core tenets of its own mission,” the statement read.
The organisation also alleged that certain individuals have hijacked the group’s narrative, using it to serve personal and political interests. ]
According to Ohanaeze, these actors are more concerned with public appearances and photo-ops during Kanu’s court proceedings than with making tangible efforts toward his release.
“It is both disheartening and shameful that IPOB finds itself aligning with certain Igbo leaders who are relentless in their quest to use Nnamdi Kanu as a scapegoat for their own agendas,” the group stated.
Ohanaeze also accused unnamed political elements of using IPOB as a tool to blackmail its leadership and disrupt efforts to unify the Igbo people.
It insisted that the group would not be drawn into media battles or political distractions but would remain focused on advocating for the rights and welfare of the Igbo nation.
The group urged IPOB to reassess its alliances and re-align itself with genuine efforts to secure Kanu’s freedom.
“The individuals IPOB currently supports are not allies of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. They are beneficiaries of the criminalisation of innocent youths falsely labelled as IPOB terrorists,” the statement added.
Ohanaeze concluded by calling for unity and renewed commitment to the collective Igbo cause, stressing that only through solidarity and focus can justice and freedom for Kanu be achieved.
