Nnamdi Kanu’s Ordeal Is Political, Not Legal – IPOB Fires Back at National Security Adviser

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has strongly criticized Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, over recent accusations linking the group to attacks on police stations and prison facilities across the country.

In a statement released on Saturday in Abuja by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emmanuel Powerful, the group described Ribadu’s remarks as contemptuous and prejudicial, given the ongoing legal proceedings involving its detained leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

IPOB asserted that Ribadu’s comments confirm the political nature of Kanu’s trial, which it described as a pre-planned witch-hunt rather than a fair judicial process. It further accused the NSA of attempting to intimidate the judiciary, particularly Justice James Omotosho, who is handling the case.

According to the group, Ribadu’s statement demonstrates the current administration’s disregard for the rule of law and due process, describing it as part of a wider ethnic agenda. IPOB urged the international community, legal professionals, and human rights organisations to condemn Ribadu’s interference.

The statement added, “Ribadu’s public declaration of IPOB and ESN’s guilt, despite no judicial conviction, reveals a deliberate effort to undermine the legal process and pressure the court into a predetermined outcome. It is unacceptable for someone overseeing the agency detaining Kanu to make such inflammatory pronouncements.”

IPOB referenced the May 22, 2025, court hearing, during which a key prosecution witness admitted the DSS operates under the NSA’s authority, emphasizing that Ribadu’s comments highlight the biased nature of the trial.

The group concluded by calling Ribadu’s behavior a disgrace to democratic principles, likening it to actions expected in a dictatorship, not a constitutional democracy. It challenged the government to present any evidence against Kanu in court, instead of relying on public propaganda to sway legal outcomes.