From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
The family of detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu has raised the alarm over alleged state sponsored campaign of calumny against her son and the pro Biafra group.
In an open letter to the Nigerian public and the International community, titled, “Stop the false narratives and media manipulation against Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB, and signed by Emmanuel Kanu, the family said it was compelled to write to address the relentless and orchestrated campaign of misinformation allegedly being peddled by the Nigerian Government against Kanu and IPOB, especially each time the IPOB leader’s case was coming up in court.
The family said it sees this deliberate effort as a way to falsely link IPOB to alleged insecurities and crimes in the South East, with the clear intent to influence judicial proceedings in Abuja courts and tarnish Kanu’s reputation before the international community, particularly as his next court hearing approaches on April 29.
“We, on behalf of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and his family, write to address the relentless and orchestrated campaign of misinformation being peddled by the Nigerian government through sponsored adverse media coverage.
“This deliberate effort seeks to falsely link IPOB to alleged insecurities and crimes in the South East, with the clear intent to influence judicial proceedings in Abuja courts and tarnish Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s reputation before the international community, particularly as his next court hearing approaches on April 29, 2025.
“The pattern is unmistakable and predictable. Each time Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s court date nears, a barrage of fabricated stories floods Nigerian media, accusing IPOB of crimes and insecurity in the South East.
“Recent examples include: Punch Newspaper: “Police nab three suspected IPOB members, recover N10.3m in Imo”;
Premium Times: “Police arrest three suspected IPOB members, recover N10 million”; The Nation: “Police raid IPOB/ESN hideout in Imo”;
Leadership Newspaper: “Police raid IPOB/ESN hideout, arrest 3 in Imo”;
Daily Trust: “3 arrested as police bust IPOB hideout in Imo”.
The family said these reports were part of a calculated media blitz designed to manipulate public perception and prejudice the judiciary against Kanu.
“This systematic defamation is not only an attack on Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB but also a grave assault on justice and fairness. We unequivocally condemn this manipulation of the judiciary and demand that it cease immediately.
“The hypocrisy of this media campaign is glaring. While peaceful IPOB is relentlessly vilified, sections of the Nigerian media and authorities remain conspicuously silent on the rampant atrocities committed by Fulani herdsmen, who have been publicly acknowledged as waging a war of conquest against indigenous populations across Nigeria.
“These killer herdsmen, responsible for wave after wave of brutal killings, face no comparable police raids or media scrutiny. Why is there such an obsessive focus on IPOB while the real perpetrators of insecurity are neither held accountable nor subjected to the same level of adverse publicity?”, the family queried.
To address injustice and uncover the true genesis of insecurity in the South East, Kanu’s family calls for the immediate establishment of a joint panel of investigators from the United States and the European Union.
“This independent body must be tasked with conducting a thorough, transparent, and unbiased investigation into the root causes of insecurity in Igbo land and identifying those truly responsible.
“The Nigerian government’s reliance on false narratives and media propaganda to influence judicial outcomes and discredit a high-profile case like Kanu’s is a dangerous precedent that undermines the rule of law and erodes public trust in democratic institutions.”
While stating that Kanu and IPOB are committed to a peaceful struggle for self-determination, the family urged Nigerians, the international community, and all advocates of justice to stand against the orchestrated campaign of defamation and demand accountability.