Nnamdi Kanu’s family accuses FG of smear campaign as trial looms
…Demands independent investigation
The family of detained Biafra separatist leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has accused the Federal Government of orchestrating a deliberate misinformation campaign aimed at discrediting him in the lead-up to his upcoming terrorism trial.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, the family alleged that Nigerian authorities are deliberately shaping media narratives in order to manipulate public opinion and sway the judiciary’s perception of the case.
The statement, signed by Prince Emmanuel Kanu, younger brother of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, described the purported campaign as a calculated effort to associate IPOB with acts of violence and insecurity in the South East. The family warned that such tactics threaten not only Kanu’s right to a fair trial but also the credibility of the justice system.
“We, on behalf of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and his family, write to respond to the relentless and coordinated campaign of disinformation being driven by the Nigerian government through sponsored adverse media coverage,” Prince Emmanuel Kanu stated.
According to the family, several recent headlines in local media are part of a targeted attempt to portray IPOB in a criminal light. They referenced specific stories reporting police raids and arrests in Imo State, including alleged discoveries of large sums of cash.
“The latest being: ‘Police nab three suspected IPOB members, recover N10.3m in Imo’, ‘Police arrest three suspected IPOB members, recover N10 million’, ‘Police raid IPOB/ESN hideout in Imo’, ‘3 arrested as police bust IPOB hideout in Imo.’
“These are elements of a choreographed media onslaught designed to distort public opinion and prejudice the judiciary against Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” the statement read.
The family rejected the allegations linking IPOB to violent activity, insisting the group remains committed to peaceful advocacy for self-determination. They described the reports as defamatory and accused the authorities of using them to engineer bias in the public and legal spheres ahead of Kanu’s next court appearance, scheduled for 29 April 2025.
“This campaign of calumny is a direct assault on Kanu’s fundamental rights and a deliberate attempt to delegitimise the peaceful struggle of IPOB,” the family asserted.
Prince Emmanuel Kanu went further to criticise what he described as the double standards of both the Nigerian government and media. He condemned the silence surrounding violence attributed to Fulani herdsmen, contrasting it with what he termed the excessive vilification of IPOB.
“The hypocrisy of this media offensive is glaring. While peaceful IPOB is incessantly demonised, there is a deafening silence regarding the atrocities committed by Fulani herdsmen, who have openly declared their intent to dominate indigenous communities across Nigeria,” he said.
In response to what they perceive as a coordinated smear effort, the Kanu family has called for the establishment of an independent panel of inquiry to investigate the true sources of insecurity in the South East. They urged the United States and the European Union to support the formation of such a body, insisting that only an impartial investigation can uncover the truth.
“This independent body must be tasked with conducting a thorough, transparent, and unbiased investigation into the root causes of insecurity in Igboland and identifying those truly responsible,” the statement urged.
The family also criticised what they called the manipulation of judicial proceedings through the use of misleading media reports, describing it as a grave threat to the rule of law and public trust in the legal process.
“The Nigerian government’s dependence on false narratives and propaganda to shape legal outcomes and damage the credibility of a high-profile case like that of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu sets a dangerous precedent,” the family stated.
They called on Nigerians, civil society, and the international community to reject what they described as a politically motivated disinformation campaign and to hold accountable those who seek to distort justice.
“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB remain firmly dedicated to a non-violent pursuit of self-determination. No amount of media distortion will derail this cause,” they concluded.
The family reiterated their appeal for moral and diplomatic support from concerned individuals, organisations, and governments to ensure that the truth behind the region’s security challenges is brought to light through a credible and independent inquiry.
