The Nigerian Government arrested Kanu in Kenya from where he was renditioned to Nigeria on June 27, 2021, to face charges bordering on treasonable felony. Since his arrest, he has been in the detention facility of the nation’s secret police Department of State Services (DSS).
The Indigenous People of Biafra has announced Chika Edoziem as its acting leader pending when embattled Leader Nnamdi Kanu comes out of detention.
The group has been without a leader since the Nigerian Government arrested Kanu in Kenya and renditioned him to Nigeria on June 27, 2021, to face charges bordering on treasonable felony.
Kanu has remained in the custody of the nation’s secret police, the Department of State Services.
Recently, a Finland-based Nigerian, Prince Simon Ikpa, claimed he had taken over Radio Biafra from Kanu, adding that IPOB established a Biafran government in exile.
However, IPOB, in a statement by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, on Sunday, denied forming any government in exile.
According to Powerful, Edoziem will be acting as the leader of the group pending when Kanu is released.
He said, “For the avoidance of doubt, the Directorate of State of the Indigenous People of Biafra (DOS) headed by Mazi Chika Edoziem is at the helm of affairs of the Biafra movement. Whenever our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, comes out, he hands over the IPOB structure back to him.
“The DOS gives letters to our people for asylum, and every government in the world accepts them and grants asylum to such asylum seekers, and they communicate with IPOB. There is no other government more than that.”
The statement further read, “We, the global movement and noble family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, wish to reiterate once again to Biafrans, friends of Biafra and lovers of freedom across the globe that IPOB led by Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu Kanu has not set up any Government In Exile (GIE).
“We, therefore, dissociate ourselves completely from the purported government in exile.
“IPOB has legitimate and well-established Institutions and a well-structured administrative hierarchy that oversees the day-to-day running of Biafra affairs.
“Already, all diplomatic missions and countries of the world know about the Biafra agitation and they communicate with IPOB as the responsible authority that oversees the affairs of the Biafran people, be it nationally or internationally.”
Recall that the United Nations body on arbitrary detention and torture recently condemned the Nigerian governmemt process of arrest and arrest torture and detention of Kanu, It recommending that the government releases the IPOB Leader within six months and pay him adequate compensation.