The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has raised concerns over what it described as an organised propaganda campaign aimed at influencing international opinion and judicial outcome ahead of the October 10, 2025 court ruling involving its detained leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
In a statement issued on Friday and signed by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, IPOB alleged that certain individuals and interest groups were working deliberately to misrepresent Kanu in the media and suppress reports that could portray him positively.
Kanu, who has been in detention since June 2021 following his extradition to Nigeria, is expected to appear before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja on October 10, for a crucial judgment in one of the cases against him. IPOB fears that the outcome is being manipulated behind the scenes through public opinion shaping and international misinformation.
“There is an unfolding propaganda designed to condition the minds of the international community ahead of the October 10 ruling,” the statement read.
Emma Powerful further claimed that reports vindicating Kanu or highlighting irregularities in his legal battles have been “deliberately suppressed” by both local and foreign media, while only negative narratives are promoted.
“This is being done for the sole purpose of discrediting our leader and preparing the ground for a pre-arranged judgment,” IPOB alleged.
The group pointed to past incidents where Kanu’s identity and position were misrepresented in the media, claiming that this long-standing trend of misinformation is once again being deployed against him.
IPOB called on major international bodies, including the United Nations, the United States Congress, the United Nations Human Rights Council, and global media outlets, to take note of what it described as a dangerous pattern of injustice and manipulation.
“History will not forgive or forget those who stay silent in the face of such a calculated injustice. We are putting the world on notice,” the group stated.
The pro-Biafra movement, which has consistently demanded a separate state for the Igbo-speaking regions of Nigeria, maintains that Nnamdi Kanu is a prisoner of conscience and that his continued detention violates international human rights laws.
Kanu is facing charges including treasonable felony, terrorism-related offences, and incitement, all of which IPOB claims are politically motivated and lacking in legal merit.
The October 10 ruling is expected to be a major turning point in Kanu’s long legal battle, with the Federal Government and IPOB both under pressure from various quarters over the handling of the case.
The IPOB statement also addressed the recent conviction of Simon Ekpa, a self-proclaimed “Prime Minister” of Biafra, by the government of Finland. Ekpa, who operates from Finland, is widely known for enforcing weekly sit-at-home orders across the South-East through his faction, which IPOB has disowned.
In its reaction, IPOB said it was not concerned about Ekpa’s legal troubles, insisting that he is acting independently and is not associated with the recognised IPOB structure.
“We are not bothered by what happens to Simon Ekpa. He is on his own. We are not connected to his activities in any way,” IPOB stated clearly.
Ekpa has been accused of inciting violence in the South-East region through inflammatory broadcasts and unauthorized directives, including sit-at-home orders that have disrupted social and economic life in many communities.
IPOB has repeatedly distanced itself from these activities, insisting that its focus is on peaceful advocacy and legal pursuit of a Biafra referendum.
Since his arrest and extradition from Kenya in 2021, Nnamdi Kanu’s detention has attracted local and international attention, with several human rights organisations calling for his release. His legal team has also filed multiple applications seeking his freedom, including appeals at higher courts and petitions to international human rights bodies.
The Federal Government, however, maintains that Kanu must face justice for his alleged role in violent agitations and illegal activities linked to IPOB, which was designated as a terrorist organisation by the Nigerian government in 2017 — a classification IPOB strongly rejects.
As the October 10 court date approaches, tensions are building, particularly among Kanu’s supporters across the South-East. Security agencies are reportedly on high alert ahead of the judgment.
