The proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has announced the indefinite suspension of the Office of its Leader, held by Nnamdi Kanu, as well as the position of Director of Radio Biafra.
The decision was reportedly reached during a full meeting of the group’s Directorate of State (DOS) on Wednesday and was made public in a statement issued on Thursday by the Head of the Directorate, Chika Edoziem.
According to the statement, the Directorate of State will now take full responsibility for managing the affairs of IPOB and overseeing the movement’s operations. The group maintained that IPOB was founded and developed collectively by Biafrans in the diaspora rather than by any single individual.
The organisation further argued that no individual possesses the authority to dissolve the Directorate of State, which it described as the highest leadership structure within the movement.
IPOB said the action followed an assessment of intelligence reports relating to communications allegedly originating from Kanu while in detention in Sokoto. The group claimed that certain messages linked to the detained leader had contributed to arrests and fatalities among its members in the South-East.
The statement also alleged that visits to Kanu and activities surrounding him were being monitored by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Group Raises Concerns Over Security Situation
IPOB expressed concern over reports that some individuals were planning to establish a new militia group, warning that such actions could worsen insecurity and violence in the region.
The organisation stated that the suspension was intended to prevent what it described as reckless actions, unauthorised claims to leadership, and statements capable of exposing supporters to arrests, torture, and death.
It added that any criminal acts carried out under the authority of the suspended office would no longer be attributed to IPOB.
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“IPOB shall henceforth not be held accountable for the actions of individuals or groups that do not occupy any active position within the organisation,” the statement said.
Reports Of Leadership Reshuffle
The development comes amid reports that Kanu had dissolved the third administration of the Directorate of State and inaugurated a fourth leadership structure.
He was also reported to have appointed United States-based Chris Nwaọgụ as the new Head of the Directorate of State.
A separate statement attributed to IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful indicated that Nwaọgụ had been directed to oversee the administration, coordination, and daily management of IPOB activities under Kanu’s authority.
The Directorate of State, established in 2012 as IPOB’s administrative arm, has previously been headed by Justin Akujieze, Uchenna Asiegbu, and Edoziem, who assumed the role in March 2017 during Kanu’s detention at Kuje Prison.
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