The family of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has raised alarm over what it described as a deliberate and well-orchestrated campaign by the Federal Government to manipulate public opinion and discredit the separatist leader ahead of his next court appearance.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, Prince Emmanuel Kanu, younger brother of the embattled Biafra agitator, accused the Nigerian government of sponsoring false media narratives linking IPOB to insecurity and criminal activities in the South-East region.
The statement alleged that a recurring pattern of fabricated reports emerges each time Kanu’s court date approaches—this time, ahead of his April 29, 2025, hearing—designed to influence judicial proceedings and damage his reputation both locally and internationally.
“We, on behalf of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and his family, write to address the relentless and orchestrated campaign of misinformation being peddled by the Nigerian government through sponsored adverse media coverage,” the statement read.
Recent media reports, including headlines such as “Police nab three suspected IPOB members, recover N10.3m in Imo” and “Police raid IPOB/ESN hideout in Imo”, were cited as part of the alleged smear campaign. The family insists these are fabricated stories aimed at creating a false association between IPOB and violence in the region.
Describing the situation as a “systematic defamation,” the family condemned the media blitz as an assault on justice, asserting that IPOB remains committed to a peaceful quest for self-determination.
They also criticized what they described as the silence of security agencies and the media over attacks and killings by armed Fulani herdsmen across the country.
“The hypocrisy of this media campaign is glaring. While peaceful IPOB is relentlessly vilified, the Nigerian media and authorities remain conspicuously silent on the rampant atrocities committed by Fulani herdsmen,” the statement said.
In a move to address the root causes of insecurity in the South-East, the family called for the establishment of an independent investigative panel composed of representatives from the United States and the European Union. The panel, according to them, should conduct a thorough, transparent, and impartial investigation into the true sources of violence in the region.
The family further warned that the government’s alleged manipulation of media narratives to sway judicial outcomes threatens Nigeria’s democracy and undermines the rule of law.
“We urge Nigerians, the international community, and all advocates of justice to stand against this orchestrated campaign of defamation and demand accountability,” the statement concluded.
Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has been in detention facing terrorism-related charges filed by the Federal Government, a case that continues to stir intense national and international debate.