The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has issued a strong warning to President Bola Tinubu and the Department of State Services (DSS), saying Nigeria risks a major crisis if anything happens to their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, whose health is reportedly deteriorating in custody.
IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, spoke in a statement on Monday, urging the Nigerian government to pay urgent attention to Kanu’s medical condition. He described Kanu as “priceless” and stressed that any neglect could lead to serious consequences.
Powerful warned that if Kanu’s health worsens and he is not properly treated, Nigeria will face a crisis “like never before.” He reminded the government that history has taught harsh lessons about the dangers of ignoring tensions around key political figures.
He said, “Let it be clearly understood: Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is priceless, and no amount of blackmail, judicial rascality, or DSS-induced health crisis will be tolerated.”
The IPOB spokesperson drew a chilling comparison to a historic event: “When Serbian nationalists assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo in 1914, they thought there would be no consequences. The result was the First World War, which consumed over 10 million lives.”
Powerful continued, “We are warning Tinubu’s regime, the DSS, and their international collaborators: Mazi Nnamdi Kanu must be released unconditionally and without further delay. His health and safety are non-negotiable.”
He said that failing to properly attend to Kanu’s medical needs could “ignite a crisis the likes of which Nigeria and its foreign backers have never imagined.”
The statement also called on “all peace-loving people across the world, international bodies, and human rights organizations” to pressure the Nigerian government into doing the right thing before it is too late.
“The games being played with the life of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu are reckless, provocative, and unsustainable. Nigeria is sitting on a keg of gunpowder, and IPOB will not be held responsible for what happens if this provocation continues,” the spokesman warned.
This latest warning comes amid growing concerns about Kanu’s health, as reports from inside the detention centre suggest his condition is worsening. However, the Nigerian government and DSS have not made any official statement regarding his health or any plans for medical treatment.
Nnamdi Kanu is a prominent and controversial figure in Nigeria. He is the leader of IPOB, a group that has been campaigning for the independence of Biafra, the southeastern region of Nigeria. The group has been at odds with the Nigerian government for years and is considered a terrorist organisation by the authorities.
Kanu was arrested in 2021 and has been in detention since then, facing charges related to terrorism and treasonable felony. His arrest and prolonged detention have drawn strong reactions from his supporters, human rights groups, and the international community, who have called for his release and proper medical care.
The situation has added to existing tensions in Nigeria’s southeast, a region that has experienced unrest, violence, and demands for self-determination. Many see Kanu as a symbol of the Biafran struggle, and his health and welfare are a sensitive issue for his followers.
The Nigerian government has repeatedly assured the public that Kanu is being treated fairly and according to the law, but has not disclosed details of his medical condition.
