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From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
The American Military Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID), a body of Igbo veterans who have served or are currently serving in the United States Armed Forces, has said it is totally in support of the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu’s dissolving of the 3rd Directorate of State (DOS) and inauguration of the 4th Directorate of State.
This is even as the Deputy Head, Directorate of State of IPOB, Solomon Egbo, in supporting the decision of Kanu, gave reasons why he took the action.
In a statement signed by Dr. Sylvester Onyia and Dr. Godson Obiagwu, AVID President and Secretary, respectively, the group said Kanu, as the undisputed leader of IPOB and Director of Radio Biafra, holds full institutional authority to restructure the movement’s administrative organs in the best interest of the Biafran people.
The statement read in part, “His decision to reorganise the DOS is recognised as a legitimate exercise of that authority. Our position is clear and unwavering; we recognise only Mazi Nnamdi Kanu as the supreme leader of IPOB and Director of Radio Biafra.
“We fully support and recognise the newly constituted 4th Directorate of State and will engage, collaborate, and communicate exclusively with officials duly appointed by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and their designated subordinates.
“As military veterans, we understand the importance of discipline, order, and respect for authority. We are aware of actions that threaten peace and safety of our homeland. “Therefore, any attempts by members of the dissolved 3rd Directorate of State to use coercion, intimidation, violence, or disruptive behaviour in Igboland will be seen as a direct assault on the peace and security of our people”.
AVID said it is confident the new leadership of the DOS will create a disciplined and accountable administration aligned with international standards for peaceful self determination.
The group urged the Biafran public and the international community to support Kanu and the 4th DOS in their responsibilities, adding that it remained committed to constructive engagement and peace in pursuit of self-determination, for the Biafran people.
Meanwhile, Egbo, the Deputy Head of the newly inaugurated 4th Administration of DOS has given reasons why Kanu dissolved the 3rd DOS.
In a release he signed, Egbo accused the former leadership of the dissolved 3rd DOS of committing “grave, repeated violations of the IPOB Code of Conduct and our Constitution.”
Egbo said the actions of the dissolved leadership of the 3rd DOS were not mere mistakes, but deliberate, sustained, and aimed at undermining the freedom of the IPOB leader. He listed some of the wrongdoings of the dissolved leadership to include, “Willful abandonment of the Supreme Leader and detained Biafrans for years; while Onyendu and other Biafrans languished in DSS cells and later in Sokoto prison, these individuals turned their backs. They provided no consistent legal support, no meaningful welfare for families, and no urgent medical intervention when health deteriorated. They left our leader to suffer alone while enjoying positions of privilege. This was outright abandonment.
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“Countermanding life-saving directives for medical funds. When Onyendu lay critically ill in DSS custody, fighting for his life, he issued a clear, urgent directive: AVID, Rising Sun, and Ambassadors for Self-Determination must immediately raise funds for his treatment. These individuals countermanded that order, blocking or discouraging the lifeline Biafrans were rushing to provide. They played God with the life of the Supreme Leader.
“Persistent attacks on lawyers and efforts to undermine the legal case: Instead of rallying behind the legal team fighting day and night for his release, they launched sustained attacks on the Supreme Leader’s lawyers and colluded with a sacked lawyer and certain political actors in the South East to sabotage court proceedings from within. At the critical moment when every resource and voice should have been focused on the courtroom, they chose division and internal sabotage.
“When Onyendu exercised his authority and removed Ifeanyi Ejiofor as counsel, the former leadership continued to work closely with him in defiance of that clear directive. They failed to challenge, through a preliminary objection, the Federal Government’s application for stay of execution following the historic Court of Appeal judgment of October 13, 2022.
“The Court of Appeal was unequivocal. Justice Oludotun Adefope-Okojie held: ‘In view of the fact that the trial court lacks jurisdiction to hear this case because the process of extradition of the appellant from Kenya to Nigeria was unlawful since due process was not followed, this appeal succeeds… Consequently, the appellant is, therefore, discharged.’
“The court further held that: The lower court, thus, has no jurisdiction… [Mr Kanu] is prohibited from being detained, tried or otherwise dealt with in Nigeria for… his extraordinary rendition to Nigeria… any court in this country is divested of jurisdiction to entertain charges against [Mr Kanu].’
“Rather than defend and consolidate this landmark victory, these individuals promoted false narratives and directed blame toward members of the Supreme Leader’s family. That falsehood became one of their principal tools to justify rebellion against Onyendu’s authority and to sow confusion throughout the movement.”
Egbo went on to give further reasons for Kanu’s actions as, “Spurious allegations against the Supreme Leader’s brothers:
They stooped to malicious lies and character assassination against Onyendu’s brothers in a bid to isolate him and damage the family that has stood faithfully by him. This was wickedness, not criticism.
“False narrative on the Court of Appeal discharge of October 13, 2022: They repeatedly lied that the Supreme Leader’s brothers returned him to court after the discharge. The truth they knew but concealed is that it was his then-legal team (including Chief Mike Ozekhome and Ifeanyi Ejiofor) who took that step, instead of filing a strong preliminary objection to the Federal Government’s stay application. They weaponised this lie to fuel rebellion”.
Other offences of the dissolved leadership of DOS as made known by Egbo included the repeated disregard of warnings and directives by Kanu; false claim that President Bola Tinubu will not release Kanu unless he renounced Biafra.
Fabricated story of advice from two African countries that Kanu should be abandoned and sustained campaign to demarket the IPOB leader and hijack the organisation, among other allegations.
Egbo restated that the expulsions are indefinite and take immediate effect, adding that the former leadership will no longer speak for, represent, or act on behalf of IPOB or the Biafran cause.
