The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has expressed deep concern over the prolonged detention of some of its members across various detention facilities in Nigeria, describing their welfare and release as a priority that must not be ignored.
Leadership Overhaul Announced
The group raised the concern on Wednesday while announcing a major overhaul of its leadership structure, including the dissolution of the third administration of its Directorate of State and the inauguration of a fourth administration headed by U.S.-based Chris Nwaọgụ.
In a statement issued from Langerfeld, Germany, and signed in the name of IPOB’s leader, Nnamdi Kanu, the group said the decision to dissolve the outgoing administration followed “a careful assessment of the movement’s performance during a critical period.”
The statement was made available by the group’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful. IPOB, in the statement, said one of the major concerns was the previous leadership’s inability to prioritise the welfare and release of members held in detention.
Failure to Prioritise Detainees
“The most grievous failure of the outgoing administration was its inability to prioritise the welfare and liberation of hundreds of Biafrans detained across various detention facilities, particularly those held for years without trial at Wawa Military Barracks in Niger State,” the statement read.
According to the group, many of the detainees had endured severe hardship, while some allegedly lost their lives in custody.
It added: “No movement that claims to stand for justice can neglect those who paid the highest price for their commitment. The abandonment of detained Biafrans represents a profound dereliction of the duty of care owed to every member of the IPOB family.”
Criticism of Outgoing Leadership
The organisation also accused the dissolved leadership of paying more attention to internal disagreements and factional disputes than to diplomacy, legal advocacy, and prisoner welfare.
“Valuable time, resources, and organisational capacity that should have been directed toward diplomacy, legal advocacy, prisoner welfare, public engagement, and strategic planning were instead consumed by distractions that weakened cohesion and undermined confidence within the movement,” the statement added.
Mandate for New Administration
IPOB said the newly inaugurated administration had been mandated to rebuild confidence, restore unity, and ensure that the welfare of members, especially those in detention, receives greater attention.
