Nnamdi Kanu Speaks Out From Detention: Stern Warnings and New Orders for IPOB Members
The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has issued firm directives to his supporters, cautioning them against unauthorised actions and internal divisions.
Kanu, who is being held at the Sokoto Correctional Centre, conveyed the message through his legal team after an official visit to the facility on Sunday.
The IPOB leader reportedly expressed deep dissatisfaction with recent public attacks and unauthorized statements made by some supporters.
He cautioned that such behaviors are “inimical to his detention conditions” and the broader objectives of the Biafra struggle.
A primary focus of Kanu’s directive was the absolute respect for the Directorate of State (DOS). His lawyer, Nnaemeka Ejiofor, emphasized that Kanu views the DOS as his personal “brainchild” and the official structure of the movement.
He has directed that from now henceforth nobody should castigate the Directorate of State, otherwise known as the DOS. The DOS is his structure and must be respected by all and sundry,” Ejiofor stated.
Kanu further listed specific affiliated bodies—including AVID, the Rising Sun, and the Ambassadors of the Third Nation—as groups that must be accorded full respect.
He explicitly warned that any verbal or physical attack on these groups, or on specific associates like Dr. Sylvester Onye, Evans Nwankwo, and Maxwell Dede, would be treated as a direct personal attack on him.
In a move to streamline communication, Kanu placed a strict ban on visitors making public broadcasts regarding the details of their meetings with him.
He insisted that any message intended for the public would be funneled through his lawyers or specifically authorized persons.
The legal team specifically addressed the activities of a woman identified as Lolo Nneka Chimezie. Lawyer Patrick Agazie conveyed Kanu’s order for her to immediately stop making public statements or radio broadcasts about his case.
“MNK states that he gave no directions to her to make any public statement on his behalf and urges the public to discount and disregard radio broadcasts, press interviews and correspondences being issued by her,” Agazie noted.
Addressing rumors of extortion, Kanu debunked claims that visitors are required to pay money to see him. He maintained that no such “transactional” process exists and that visitation follows a strict administrative protocol at the Sokoto facility.
Kanu challenged anyone alleging extortion to come forward with evidence, describing the claims as baseless attempts to sow discord within the movement.
On November 20, 2025, a Federal High Court in Abuja had sentenced Nnamdi Kanu to life imprisonment after finding him guilty on seven counts of terrorism.
Following the judgment, the Department of State Services (DSS) transferred him from Abuja to the Sokoto Correctional Centre.
Although Kanu later filed a motion seeking a transfer back to a facility closer to his legal team in Abuja, Justice James Omotosho rejected the application in December 2025, maintaining that the current detention arrangement should stand.
