IPOB CAUTIONS MEMBERS OVER DEFIANCE OF KANU’S APPOINTMENT POWERS
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By; Ganiyat Sunmola
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has warned that members who challenge the authority of its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, could face disciplinary measures as the organisation seeks to address an escalating leadership dispute.
In a statement released on Friday by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, the group said sanctions such as suspension, removal from office, or expulsion would be imposed on any member or faction that acts against Kanu’s directives or violates the organisation’s Code of Conduct.
The warning comes amid a leadership crisis following the dissolution of the third administration of IPOB’s Directorate of State, previously headed by Chika Edoziem, and the inauguration of a new leadership team led by US-based Chris Nwaọgụ.
IPOB stated that Kanu exercised powers granted to him under the organisation’s Code of Conduct to dissolve Edoziem’s administration and appoint a fourth Directorate of State. The group stressed that Kanu remains the sole authority empowered to appoint, suspend, or remove principal officers within the movement.
According to the statement, anyone who refuses to recognise Kanu’s authority, disrupts IPOB’s command structure, or acts contrary to its rules will face strict disciplinary action. The organisation further declared that the period of internal indiscipline and unauthorised leadership actions had come to an end, reaffirming that Kanu’s authority remains final and binding on all members.
IPOB also announced that the dissolved third Directorate of State administration no longer has any legitimacy. It maintained that any directives, appointments, suspensions, or other actions taken by Edoziem or members of his former administration after their removal are invalid and carry no organisational authority.
The latest development underscores growing divisions within IPOB, the separatist movement advocating for the creation of an independent Biafran state in Nigeria’s South-East region.
Since Kanu’s arrest and continued detention, the organisation has experienced recurring leadership disagreements. Kanu was initially arrested in 2015 on treason-related charges, fled Nigeria while on bail in 2017, and was rearrested in Kenya in 2021 before being returned to Nigeria.
Despite his detention and ongoing court proceedings, IPOB continues to regard Kanu as its supreme leader, insisting that he retains full authority over the organisation. The current dispute over the Directorate of State leadership is considered one of the most serious internal challenges the movement has faced in recent years, with competing factions claiming legitimacy and control.
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