The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has written an open letter to former United States President Donald Trump, alleging that what he called a “Christian genocide” in Nigeria has now spread to the South-East region.
In the letter, which circulated on social media this week, Kanu accused the Nigerian government and the military of targeting Christians, particularly people of Igbo origin, under the cover of fighting terrorism and insecurity. He claimed that the killings and attacks that once occurred mainly in Northern Nigeria are now happening in the South-East.
Kanu, who has been in detention since 2021 after being rearrested and brought back to Nigeria from Kenya, said he was writing to draw international attention to what he described as “systematic extermination” of Judeo-Christian communities in the South-East.
He praised Trump for his recent comments on religious freedom and human rights in Nigeria, particularly the former U.S. President’s October 31, 2025 statement, in which Trump reportedly said that America was “prepared to act” militarily and cut aid if Nigeria failed to protect its Christian population.
In the letter, Kanu said Trump’s words had renewed hope among millions of Christians in Nigeria who feel abandoned by the international community.
“Your bold declaration that the United States is prepared to act if Nigeria fails to protect Christians has ignited hope in the hearts of millions who have been abandoned by the world,” Kanu wrote. “You have seen the truth: Christians in Nigeria face an existential threat.”
He went on to say that the violence was no longer limited to the northern parts of the country where Boko Haram and ISWAP operate, but had now reached the Igbo heartland.
“This genocide is not confined to the North—it has metastasized into the Igbo heartland, where Judeo-Christians are being systematically exterminated under the guise of counter-terrorism,” he said.
Kanu, who described himself as a “practicing Jew and believer in Judeo-Christian heritage,” told Trump that the same extremist-backed forces causing chaos in the North are now active in the South-East, allegedly with the backing or silence of the Nigerian state.
“The same extremist-backed forces you have condemned in the North—Boko Haram, ISWAP, and Fulani militias—operate with state complicity in the South-East and Igbo-speaking territories of Benue, Kogi, and Delta,” he claimed. “But here, the Nigerian military itself is the primary perpetrator, shielded by a false narrative that blames victims.”
Kanu also recounted what he called his personal ordeals in the hands of the Nigerian government, including assassination attempts and his forced return to Nigeria from Kenya.
“Since 2015, I have survived four documented assassination attempts by the Nigerian state,” he wrote. “On 20 June 2021, I was forcibly abducted from Kenya in an extraordinary rendition operation—an act that violated Kenyan and international law, as condemned by a Kenyan High Court ruling.”
He referred to a 2021 ruling by a Kenyan High Court, which said that his transfer to Nigeria was unlawful. Despite that judgment, he said he has remained in solitary detention in Abuja without a valid charge.
Kanu said his only “crime” was speaking out for the right of his people to life, faith, and self-determination as provided under international law.
In the letter, Kanu accused the Nigerian government of using insecurity in the South-East as a political weapon. He claimed that the state has used armed groups known as “unknown gunmen” to commit crimes and then blame IPOB for them.
“Since my illegal rendition, Nigeria has declared IPOB a ‘terrorist organization’ despite zero evidence of violence,” he wrote, citing a 2021 report by the U.S. State Department that did not classify IPOB as a violent group.
He also accused the government of orchestrating fake attacks to justify military operations against the Igbo population.
“Since my detention, the Nigerian state has orchestrated ‘unknown gunmen’ attacks using state-backed militias, then blamed IPOB,” he said. “Over 2,000 Igbo youths have been killed in ‘counter-terrorism’ operations between 2021 and 2025. This is Rwanda’s playbook: create chaos, blame the victim, justify extermination.”
The letter comes at a time when insecurity and ethnic tensions continue to affect several parts of Nigeria.
The IPOB, founded by Kanu in 2012, has been campaigning for the independence of Biafra—a region that unsuccessfully attempted to break away from Nigeria between 1967 and 1970, leading to a civil war that claimed over one million lives.
In 2017, the Nigerian government banned IPOB and declared it a terrorist organization, a move the group has repeatedly rejected. The group insists that it is a peaceful movement that only seeks a referendum on self-determination for the Igbo people.
Since Kanu’s arrest, there have been frequent clashes between security forces and armed groups in the South-East. Many of these attacks have been blamed on “unknown gunmen,” a term used to describe shadowy groups that have targeted police stations, government buildings, and civilians.
Human rights groups have accused both the security agencies and local armed groups of committing abuses. The Nigerian military, however, denies any wrongdoing and insists its operations are aimed at restoring peace in the region.
While Donald Trump has not yet responded publicly to Kanu’s letter, his past comments on religious freedom in Nigeria have sparked debates within and outside the country.
In 2020, the U.S. government, under Trump, had placed Nigeria on a special watchlist for violations of religious freedom. However, in 2021, during President Joe Biden’s administration, Nigeria was removed from that list, a decision that drew criticism from rights groups.
As of now, Nnamdi Kanu remains in the custody of Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS), and his court case has faced several delays. His supporters continue to call for his release, citing court orders that have not been implemented.
The Nigerian government maintains that IPOB’s activities threaten national unity and insists that no group will be allowed to undermine the country’s sovereignty.
