The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has sharply criticized Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo for dismissing Peter Obi's call to release Nnamdi Kanu from detention, labeling the governor's stance as a tragic betrayal and a display of hypocrisy.
IPOB Condemns Soludo's Position
Describing Soludo's reaction as political desperation, IPOB stated that his position insults the memory of great Igbo icons and others who have fearlessly demanded Kanu's release. The group's Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, issued a statement accusing Soludo of treachery and bad faith.
Soludo's Past Actions Contradict Current Stance
IPOB reminded the governor that on May 13, 2022, he visited Kanu at the Department of State Services (DSS) facility in Abuja, shook his hand, and publicly demanded his release, even offering to stand as surety. As recently as March 2025, Soludo's Commissioner for Information, Law Mefor, boasted that the governor was actively working towards Kanu's release to restore peace in the South-East.
Now, through his government, Soludo describes Obi's identical call for justice as a slap on the Nigerian judiciary and claims it undermines judicial processes. IPOB called this the height of treachery and political chameleonic behavior.
Accusations of Betrayal
The group asserted that no man with authentic Igbo blood would turn against his own brother's freedom after riding on that cause to power. They accused Soludo of visiting Kanu in detention when he needed Igbo votes and moral endorsement to become governor, only to turn against him and the people who put him in office for crumbs from Abuja.
IPOB also pointed out that the same judiciary Soludo now defends has held Kanu in illegal, dehumanizing detention for years in violation of court orders. They argued that the demand for Kanu's release is not solely an Igbo affair, as many well-meaning Nigerians continue to call for his freedom.
Background of the Dispute
The controversy began when Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, called for Kanu's release. Soludo's Special Adviser on Media, Ejimofor Opara, responded by calling Obi's comment a major slap not only on the Nigerian judiciary but also an insult to the judiciary of Finland, where Simon Ekpa, described as Kanu's protégé, was convicted and sentenced to six years for terrorism-related offenses.
IPOB's statement underscores the deep rift between the group and Soludo, highlighting the governor's apparent shift from advocating for Kanu's release to opposing such calls.
