The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has announced an escalated international campaign to secure the release of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, amid ongoing legal battles and political tensions in Nigeria. The movement revealed on November 12, 2025, that Chika Edoziem will coordinate the new phase of advocacy, targeting foreign governments, multilateral organizations, and human-rights bodies to exert diplomatic pressure on Abuja.
Kanu, who was re-arrested in Kenya in 2021 and extradited to Nigeria, faces charges including terrorism and treason, stemming from his leadership of IPOB. The Nigerian government has designated the group as a terrorist organization, citing links to violent activity in the southeast. Supporters of Kanu, however, argue that the charges are politically motivated, alleging persecution due to his advocacy for southeastern Nigeria’s Igbo population.
The campaign aims to internationalize Kanu’s case, framing it as a human-rights and ethnic self-determination issue. IPOB plans to mobilize its global chapters in Europe, North America, and Africa to coordinate protests, legal petitions, and advocacy meetings in support of Kanu. The group’s statement emphasized that the effort seeks to highlight the marginalization of southeastern Nigeria and pressure authorities to ensure fair treatment under the law.
Analysts warn that Kanu’s detention and the government’s hardline approach could heighten tensions in the region, potentially fueling separatist sentiment and affecting stability. While IPOB maintains that its advocacy is peaceful, the group’s association with its armed offshoot, the Eastern Security Network, continues to complicate perceptions of the movement and its global appeal.
Kanu’s trial, currently before Judge James Omotosho in Abuja, has drawn both domestic and international attention, with a judgment expected later this month. Legal observers note that the case raises questions about Nigeria’s application of anti-terrorism laws, due process, and the rights of dual citizens, as Kanu holds British nationality.
For IPOB, the international campaign represents a strategic effort to broaden support beyond Nigeria, leveraging diplomatic and human-rights channels to influence the outcome. The campaign underscores the growing trend of diaspora-led advocacy in political and separatist movements, where local grievances are increasingly addressed on the global stage.
The outcome of this effort could have implications not only for Kanu but also for the broader debate over ethnic relations, national unity, and political freedoms in Nigeria.