The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has issued a stern warning to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, urging him to cease exploiting the name of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu for personal political gain. The pro-Biafran group accuses Kalu of falsely claiming to be working towards Kanu’s release while lacking any genuine interest in securing his freedom.
In a statement released on Wednesday, IPOB dismissed Kalu’s purported efforts as political gamesmanship and insisted that the group had transcended such manipulations. The Supreme Court had on December 15 approved Kanu’s trial on charges of terrorism filed against him by the Federal Government.
The statement from IPOB read in part, “Kalu has constantly been on the print and social media claiming of working hard for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. IPOB and Kanu have become a daily song for him, but he does not have any genuine interest in the IPOB struggle nor the unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from the Federal Government’s persecution and illegal detention.”
The group further expressed concern about the actions of some Igbo politicians who appear to be working against IPOB and Kanu’s cause. IPOB emphasized its role in maintaining peace in the South-East during the Christmas season and warned Kalu to refrain from taking credit for this.
IPOB urged Kalu to use his influence to advocate for President Bola Tinubu’s intervention in preventing Kanu from facing dire health consequences while in custody. The group accused the Buhari administration of disregarding court orders and expressed disappointment that Kalu had not spoken out against such actions.
The statement concluded with a firm warning to Kalu, stating, “Kalu should stop taking credit for the peace the South-East people experienced during this Christmas season. IPOB and ESN operatives ensured that it was peaceful celebrations in our region during this last Christmas season. IPOB made it open that the criminals should stay off Ndigbo during this Christmas season and not your meeting Benjamin Kalu.”
