The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) condemns in the strongest terms the terrorist tendencies of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed terror outfit, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). Kanu’s recent behavior, including his brazen actions in the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday where he faces trial for calls for violence and anarchy, are deeply concerning and pose a serious threat to the peace and stability of Nigeria.
By insulting the prosecuting lawyer and demanding the judge to recuse himself from the case, Kanu has shown a lack of respect for the legal process and the professionalism that should be maintained in a court of law.
His refusal to recognize the authority of the court and his inflammatory remarks about the judiciary being a “shrine to injustice” are clear acts of contempt that undermine the credibility of the legal system.
Kanu’s contemptuous behavior towards the Nigerian government and judiciary has not only undermined the rule of law but has also incited violence and division within the country.
The CNG has been at the forefront of addressing the violent and extremist actions of the IPOB and their quest for a separate state of Biafra.
The CNG has consistently warned against the dangers of allowing such movements to gain momentum and has called for a peaceful process for separation to prevent further bloodshed and anarchy in Nigeria.
The Kaduna Declaration made by the CNG highlighted the need for the Igbo people to leave northern Nigeria and join their Biafran brethren in the East to pursue their dream of a separate nation. This declaration was a response to the violent and hateful rhetoric and actions of IPOB, which have targeted the state and other ethnic groups in Nigeria.
The CNG has made several representations to the Nigerian government, the United Nations, and foreign diplomatic missions to draw attention to the escalating violence and threats posed by IPOB.
The coalition has called for international intervention to facilitate a peaceful separation and prevent the country from descending into another civil war.
Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of IPOB, has been at the centre of a subversive campaign against the Nigerian State. Consequently, Nnamdi Kanu was arrested on 14th October 2015 and charged to court for treasonable felony, among other crimes. He was granted bail by the Federal High Court, Abuja on 25th April 2017. He, however, breached the bail conditions and fled abroad.
While in self-exile, Nnamdi Kanu intensified his subversive campaign, using online Radio Biafra to instigate violence and incite members of IPOB to commit violent attacks against civil and democratic institutions, particularly the security personnel, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and civilians mostly of Northern Nigerian extraction. He instigated the destruction of public and private properties across the country.
As a result of these criminal activities, IPOB was proscribed and designated a terrorist organisation by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, in an order made on 20th September 2017. Despite the proscription of IPOB by the Federal Government, Nnamdi Kanu continued the subversive campaign, instigating and inciting broadcasts to direct members of the IPOB to launch attacks on the government.
On 12th December 2020, Eastern Security Network” (ESN) was formed by Nnamdi Kanu as an armed wing of IPOB with the mandate to advance the nefarious agenda of the outlawed group. ESN continued to launch attacks on security personnel, civilians perceived as enemies as well as the destruction of private and public properties.
In 2020 Nigeria found itself grappling with a protest. Beginning in October 2020, young men and women across many cities in Nigeria, mostly in the southern part of the country, gathered, calling on the government to disband the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a unit of the Nigerian police force. Tagged #EndSARS, the protesters demand was clear as it was legitimate.
The EndSARS protests of October 2020 played into the sinister plans of Nnamdi Kanu, whereby he seized the protests through subversive and inciting online broadcasts and actively commanded and directed attacks on northern citizens, security personnel and facilities.
As a result of these broadcasts, members of IPOB attacked and killed more than 500 northerners living as minorities in the South East, security personnel and burnt down Police stations, correctional centres, INEC offices, bus terminals, the Palace of Oba of Lagos, Banks, hospitals, shopping malls and vehicles, amongst others.
During the attacks, 19 offices, 18 logistical vehicles, several election materials, equipment and ICT gadgets belonging to INEC were destroyed in Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Cross River, Enugu, Ebonyi, and Imo States. 164 police stations and formations, including the Police Headquarters in Owerri, Imo State, were attacked by IPOB/ESN members.
Consequent upon the instigating directives of Nnamdi Kanu, members of IPOB/ESN carried out massive attacks on democratic institutions especially INEC Facilities with a view to hampering the democratic process in Nigeria. These attacks that were carried out between October 2020 and June 2021 include the following.
One hundred and seventy-five (175) security personnel were killed by IPOB/ESN, comprising one hundred and twenty-eight (128) policemen, thirty-seven (37) military personnel and ten (10) other security operatives.
The killing of prominent Nigerians; there were gruesome killings of traditional leaders: Obi 1 of Okwudor autonomous community, Eze E. Anayochukwu Durueburuo and Eze Sampson Osunwa of Ihebineowerre autonomous community as well as the killings of Dr Chike Akunyili and eight others as well as the killing of Alhaji Ahmed Gulak on 30th May. 2021).
One hundred and sixty-four (164) police stations and formations, including Police Headquarters, Owerri, Imo State were attacked by IPOB/ESN leading to the death of one hundred and twenty-eight (128) policemen {as stated in III above}; one hundred forty-four (144) injured while six hundred twenty-eight (628) vehicles were destroyed.
Three hundred and ninety-six (396) firearms and seventeen thousand seven hundred and thirty-eight (17,738) ammunition were carted away during the IPOB/ESN attacks; There were three (3) IPOB/ESN attacks on Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), including the Headquarters of NCoS, Owerri, Imo State where one thousand eight hundred and forty-one (1,841) inmates escaped;
The Headquarters of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Umuahia, Abia State was also attacked by IPOB/ESN leading to the death of one (1) officer;
There were several IPOB/ESN attacks and destruction (arson) of public and private properties during the EndSARS and Biafra agitations across the country, especially in the South-East and South-South regions, notably the Palace of the Oba of Lagos where twelve (12) flats were completely looted and vandalized, the country home of the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, was burnt, over one hundred and fifty (150) buses burnt at the Lagos Bus Terminal, Sen. Ndoma Egba’s home in Calabar Municipal, Cross River State, was completely looted and vandalized, Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre, City Hall Race Course, First Bank Branch Lagos, Lagos State Public Works Commission, Nigeria Port Authority (NPA), Marina, Lagos, High Court Igbosere, Lagos, were all burnt, amongst other heinous crimes committed.
The destructive activities of IPOB/ESN pose a serious threat to Nigeria’s national security and its corporate existence, which resulted in the re-arrest of Nnamdi Kanu and members of his group.
It has also been established that Kanu is not alone in his subversive activities. He has accomplices in Nigeria and abroad, individuals and groups as well as state and non-state actors who are aiding and facilitating his campaign against the people and state of Nigeria. Some of the state actors aided Kanu, even as a fugitive, in his destructive mission, ignoring the terrorist nature of his activities.
The actions and clamors of IPOB, supported by a significant portion of the Igbo elites, politicians, traditional rulers, and business persons, have had a destabilizing effect on Nigeria as a whole. The calls have pushed the country to the brink of disintegration, threatening the unity and stability of the nation. The support for IPOB from within the Igbo community has further exacerbated the situation, leading to a deepening of divisions and animosities between different ethnic groups in the country.
The demand for the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu by Igbo leaders and elites is not only misguided but also insensitive to the feelings and aspirations of those who have been affected by the violence and unrest caused by IPOB’s activities.
At the forefront of the calls for the release of Nnamdi Kanu is Peter Obi, an Igbo politician who is shamelessly seeking the votes of Nigerians to become president. This is a troubling development, as Kanu has been responsible for inciting violence and unrest in Nigeria with the blood of innocent Nigerians, particularly from the Northern region where hundreds of lives have been lost as a result of his actions.
It is deeply concerning that Peter Obi, a supposed leader, would align himself with someone like Kanu, who has blood on his hands and has caused so much suffering and division in the country. It is the height of insensitivity and irresponsibility for Obi to ignore the pain and loss that Kanu’s actions have caused, simply because they share the same ethnicity.
The fact that Obi is seeking the votes of Nigerians, including those from the Northern region, while advocating for Kanu’s release is a clear indication of his lack of concern for the lives and well-being of fellow northern Nigerian citizens. It is a betrayal of trust and a disregard for the suffering that has been inflicted on innocent people as a result of Kanu’s incitement.
We call on all Northern voters to be wary of politicians like Peter Obi who are willing to sacrifice the safety and security of other constituents in order to further their own political ambitions.
In light of this troubling development, we regret ever being political allies with the South East, as it is clear that their leaders are willing to put their own interests above the safety and security of the country as a whole. It is time for us to come together as a nation and reject divisive and irresponsible leaders who are more concerned with their own power and influence than with the well-being of the people they are supposed to serve.
It is imperative that we stand up against leaders like Peter Obi who are willing to turn a blind eye to the suffering and violence caused by individuals like Nnamdi Kanu. The families of those who have lost their lives as a result of Kanu’s incitement deserve justice and closure, and releasing him without due process would only serve to further inflame tensions and perpetuate a cycle of violence and retribution.
Furthermore, the morale of security personnel who have been tasked with maintaining law and order in the face of the challenges posed by IPOB would be severely undermined if Kanu were to be released without facing the consequences of his actions. It is essential for the government to ensure that justice is served by prosecuting and sentencing Kanu appropriately, in accordance with the laws of the land.
The diabolical scheme planned and exhibited by IPOB, with the support of a significant portion of the Igbo elites and leaders, has had a detrimental impact on the unity and stability of Nigeria. The demand for the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu is not only unjust but also counterproductive to the efforts to restore peace and order in the country. It is imperative for the government to uphold the rule of law and ensure that justice is duly served in order to prevent further escalation of the crisis and to promote reconciliation and healing among the various ethnic groups in Nigeria.
The CNG urges the government to take decisive action against Kanu and his followers, to ensure that the rule of law is upheld and that those who engage in contemptuous behavior are held accountable for their actions. Only through accountability and justice can Nigeria move towards peace and unity.
The Nigerian government must take decisive action to address the threat posed by Kanu and IPOB. His calls for war, genocide, and violence must be met with swift and appropriate measures to protect the lives and rights of all Nigerians. Any Igbo leader pleading for the unconditional release of Kanu must henceforth be held as terrorist and complicit.
In conclusion, the recent resurgence of agitation for the secession of Biafra has brought to light the dangers of violence and division in Nigeria. It is essential that we all come together to reject these destructive forces and work towards a future of peace and unity. The CNG’s petition is a call to action for all Nigerians to stand together against those who seek to tear our country apart. Only through unity and solidarity can we overcome the challenges that lie ahead and build a better future for all.
Comrade Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi
National Coordinator
13 February, 2025
