A fresh crisis has erupted within the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) following the dramatic expulsion of 10 senior members of the separatist movement by its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, in what observers describe as one of the most sweeping internal purges in the organisation’s history.
Kanu, who remains in the custody of the Federal Government over terrorism-related charges, announced the indefinite expulsion of the affected officials, accusing them of betrayal, gross misconduct, sabotage of the Biafra struggle and attempts to seize control of the organisation for personal and political interests.
The decision was contained in a statement attributed to Kanu and made public on Sunday through a post on X by his younger brother, Kanunta Kanu. In the statement, the IPOB leader declared that the expelled individuals no longer possess any authority to act, speak or make decisions on behalf of the movement anywhere in the world.
“The authority to appoint, discipline, suspend, remove, dissolve or expel any officer or administration of IPOB is vested in the office of the Supreme Leader. The expulsions announced herein are made pursuant to that authority and in accordance with the IPOB Code of Conduct,” Kanu stated.
Those affected by the disciplinary action are Chika Edoziem, who headed the dissolved third Directorate of State, Tony Nzurumike, Austin Agbanyim, Chukwudi Oforma, Isaiah Ubah, Colins Chinedu, Chinasa Nworu, Fidelis Ejiogu, Chidinma Nworu, also known as Juliet Edward Filatro, and Keke Uda.
Kanu explained that the expulsions followed what he described as repeated violations of the movement’s code of conduct and acts allegedly aimed at weakening his leadership and undermining the objectives of IPOB.
According to him, the officials were members of the third Directorate of State administration which he constituted while incarcerated at Kuje Prison in March 2017. He noted that although the administration was originally established for a six-month tenure that expired in September 2017, it was allowed to continue functioning at his discretion until its eventual dissolution.
While stressing that the dissolution of the Directorate of State was merely an administrative action, Kanu maintained that the latest expulsions were punitive measures resulting from the conduct of the affected individuals before and after the administration was dissolved.
The detained IPOB leader accused the former officials of abandoning him and other detained Biafra agitators during critical periods of incarceration, alleging that they failed to provide adequate legal, welfare and medical support despite occupying strategic positions within the movement.
He further alleged that some of the expelled officials frustrated efforts by pro-Biafra groups, including AVID, Rising Sun and Ambassadors for Self-Determination, to raise funds for his medical treatment at a time he claimed to be critically ill in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Kanu also levelled serious accusations against the former officials, claiming they attacked members of his legal team and collaborated with unnamed political actors in the South-East to frustrate and weaken his legal battles.
In one of the most explosive aspects of the statement, Kanu accused the expelled officials of spreading false narratives that his brothers were responsible for returning him to court after the October 13, 2022 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which had ordered his discharge.
Rejecting the allegation, Kanu insisted that it was his former legal team, including Chief Mike Ozekhome and Ifeanyi Ejiofor, that returned to court in response to legal processes initiated by the Federal Government rather than pursuing a preliminary objection against the government’s application for a stay of execution.
He also accused the affected officials of circulating claims that two African countries had advised them to abandon him in detention, alleging that such narratives formed part of a broader campaign to diminish his influence and facilitate a takeover of the movement’s leadership structure.
According to Kanu, some members of the dissolved administration went as far as altering the IPOB oath of office to secure personal allegiance from members while allegedly removing officers he had appointed and replacing them with individuals loyal to their faction.
In a stern warning to supporters and sympathisers of the Biafra cause, Kanu declared that any individual or group maintaining ties with the expelled officials would henceforth be regarded as acting contrary to the interests of IPOB and the wider self-determination movement.
He subsequently directed members across different countries to recognise and support the fourth Directorate of State administration led by Chris Nwaọgụ, insisting that IPOB remains united and firmly under his authority despite the internal upheaval.
The latest development signals a deepening leadership crisis within IPOB and exposes widening cracks within the separatist movement as Kanu continues his prolonged legal battle with the Nigerian government while seeking to maintain control of the organisation from detention.