IPOB Announces Indefinite Suspension of Nnamdi Kanu as Its Leader

The proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has reportedly suspended the Office of its Leader, Nnamdi Kanu and the Director of Radio Biafra.

The group announced it made the decision at a full-house meeting of its Directorate on Wednesday, it was reported.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Head of the Directorate of State of IPOB, Mazi Chikadibia Edoziem, and issued on Thursday.

The statement said the Directorate of State will now administer the affairs of the organisation and oversee the movement.

The group claimed IPOB was “formed and nurtured by a group of Biafrans in the Diaspora (not by any singular individual).”

It stated that no one has the authority to dissolve the Directorate of State, which it identified as the group’s top leadership structure.

IPOB said the decision followed a review of intelligence reports on communication from Kanu in Sokoto prison.

It said it was “mindful that some unguarded communications from Sokoto prison to those in Biafraland has led to unwarranted arrests and death of IPOB family members in Biafraland.”

The leadership further said that the activities and visitors of Kanu were being monitored by the Department of State Services.

IPOB Cautions Against Violence

The group said it was concerned about reported plans by some people to establish a new militia, saying it could spark new violence in the area.

It said the suspension was meant to “prevent unchecked actions, reckless assumption of authority and unguarded utterances from leading to reckless arrests, torture and needless death of Biafran youths.”

It added that any criminal activities carried out in the name of the suspended office will no longer be blamed on IPOB.

“IPOB shall hence forward not be held accountable for the actions of individuals or groups of Individuals without any active position within IPOB,” the statement added.

Kanu Reportedly Names New DOS Boss
The development came on the heels of reports that Kanu had dissolved the third administration of the Directorate of Security.

He was also said to have ushered in a fourth administration, appointing Mazi Chris Nwaọgụ in the United States as the new Head of the Directorate of State.

IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful was quoted to have said that Nwaọgụ was ordered to take charge of the administration, coordination and day-to-day running of IPOB affairs under Kanu.

The Directorate of State was established in 2012 to function as the administrative arm of IPOB. It was formerly headed by Dr Justin Akujieze in the United States, Mazi Uchenna Asiegbu in Spain and Chika Edoziem in Switzerland, who was appointed in March 2017 when Kanu was detained earlier in Kuje Prison.