IPOB Rejects Nnamdi Kanu’s Suspension, Declares Move Null and Void

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has officially dismissed the purported suspension of its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, describing the action as unconstitutional, null and void, and an exercise in futility by officials whose tenure had already been terminated.

The separatist group said the declaration made by the faction led by Chika Edoziem carries no weight, insisting that those behind the move no longer hold any recognised authority within the organisation . In a statement issued on Friday by IPOB’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, the group maintained that the officials responsible for announcing Kanu’s suspension had already lost their positions before making the declaration .

According to IPOB, the leadership structure headed by Edoziem had earlier been dissolved by Kanu under powers granted to him by the group’s Code of Conduct. The organisation said a new administrative leadership, identified as the fourth Directorate of State (DOS) , has already been constituted under the leadership of Chris Nwaọgụ, a United States-based member . The group argued that since the previous administration had already been dissolved, all decisions, directives, or pronouncements made by its members after that dissolution are automatically invalid . “No person can derive authority from an office that has already ceased to exist,” the statement said .

IPOB stressed that under its constitutional framework, only the office of the Supreme Leader has the power to appoint, remove, suspend, or dissolve principal officers and key administrative structures . The group pointed to provisions in its internal code, insisting that such powers are exclusively vested in Kanu unless he chooses to delegate them . Based on that position, IPOB said any announcement suggesting that Kanu had been suspended by Edoziem’s faction was not only unconstitutional but impossible under the organisation’s laws . “The authority to appoint, suspend, dismiss or dissolve principal officers and administrative structures resides exclusively in the Office of the Supreme Leader. No Coordinator, Principal Officer, Directorate, Committee or collective body possesses any constitutional authority to suspend, remove or overrule the Supreme Leader,” the statement said .

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The crisis began when the Directorate of State (DOS) of IPOB announced the indefinite suspension of the Office of the Leader of IPOB and the position of Director of Radio Biafra, both previously held by Kanu . Chikadibia Edoziem, head of the DOS, said the decision followed a DOS meeting held on June 17, where members resolved to impose the indefinite suspension in what they described as the overall interest of Biafrans . The DOS cited several reasons for its decision, including intelligence reports alleging meetings involving security agencies and Kanu, concerns over communications it claimed had led to arrests and deaths of members, as well as fears that some individuals were attempting to establish a new militia that could trigger further violence in the region . “We affirm that the pursuit of our inalienable right to self-determination is peaceful and non-violent and must never become a basis for causing harm, hardship, or death to the very people we seek to liberate from the injustices and atrocities perpetrated by the Nigerian system,” the DOS statement read .

IPOB strongly criticised the move, describing it as reckless and a direct challenge to the authority of the group’s leadership structure . The organisation accused the dissolved officials of gross insubordination, constitutional misconduct, abuse of office, and deliberate attempts to usurp powers beyond what is permitted under its governing laws . According to the statement, instead of complying with the leadership transition and handing over responsibilities, the former officials allegedly chose to act in defiance of the authority that initially legitimised their positions . The group described the move against Kanu as “foolish, delusional and a legal impossibility” within the framework of its laws .

The group directed its members across different countries to ignore any statement, appointment, suspension, or directive issued by Edoziem and members of the dissolved administration . “The third administration of the Directorate of State no longer exists. Its tenure has been terminated by lawful authority and its powers extinguished,” the statement declared . IPOB further called on media organisations to be cautious in reporting developments concerning the group, urging journalists to verify sources before publishing statements attributed to individuals it no longer recognises as official representatives . The group declared that any directive, instruction, statement, appointment, suspension, or administrative action purportedly issued by Edoziem or any member of the dissolved administration after its dissolution is “null, void, and incapable of creating any legal or organisational consequence within IPOB” .

Meanwhile, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, has also rejected reports of Kanu’s suspension, describing the move as invalid and lacking institutional or communal legitimacy . In a statement signed by Deputy President-General Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro and Deputy Secretary-General Prof. Chibuikeya Achoakawa, Ohanaeze said the claims attributed to certain aggrieved members, including Edoziem and associates, are “unofficial and incapable of altering established recognitions or ongoing engagements” . Ohanaeze stated unequivocally that the alleged suspension of Kanu is “not recognized, not validated, and holds no institutional or communal legitimacy within its purview” . “Accordingly, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu remains a central and widely acknowledged leadership figure associated with the Indigenous People of Biafra,” the statement added .

Ohanaeze expressed concern that internal disagreements within IPOB could threaten the relative peace that has returned to the South-East in recent months . The organisation noted that the region has experienced renewed agricultural activities, the revival of cultural festivals, increased commercial engagements and growing investor confidence—gains it described as fragile . “These gains remain delicate and must not be undermined by avoidable internal disputes or inflammatory narratives,” Ohanaeze stated . The group urged all parties involved in the leadership dispute to embrace peaceful dialogue rather than public confrontation, stating that “Dialogue remains the most viable and sustainable pathway to conflict resolution” . Ohanaeze also reaffirmed its commitment to ongoing dialogue initiatives aimed at fostering unity among Igbo stakeholders and supporting efforts toward the release of detained pro-Biafra figures, including Kanu . The organisation warned that unresolved divisions could undermine those efforts and stressed that it would not support any action capable of reigniting insecurity in the South-East .

Reaffirming loyalty to Kanu, IPOB said the newly established leadership remains active and fully answerable to the detained leader . IPOB also warned that any member or group attempting to challenge Kanu’s authority or disrupt the organisation’s command structure would face disciplinary action, including suspension or outright expulsion . “The era of indiscipline, constitutional recklessness, and unauthorised power-grabbing within IPOB is over. The authority of the Supreme Leader remains supreme, unquestionable, and binding on all members,” the statement added.