......IPOB leader dismisses restructuring and political appointments as alternatives, urges diaspora supporters to intensify campaign for his release

The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has rejected any political negotiation that does not include a referendum on Biafra's independence, declaring that there is no middle ground between allowing Biafrans to determine their future through a free vote and pursuing sovereignty unilaterally.

Kanu made the declaration in an address to the American Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID) during its 2026 annual convention held in Duluth, Georgia, United States, from October 9 to 11.

In the address, titled “An Address to the American Veterans of Igbo Descent,” the IPOB leader maintained that his central demand remained the right of the Igbo people and other supporters of Biafra to determine their political future through a referendum.

He dismissed proposals centred on political appointments, restructuring or another national conference, arguing that such arrangements would not resolve what he described as the fundamental question of self-determination.

“Referendum, or the unilateral pursuit of Biafran sovereignty. There is no middle ground,” Kanu declared.

“I will not negotiate the existence of my people. I will not bargain our homeland into a committee. I will discuss the referendum and nothing else.”

The statement reinforces Kanu's position that any meaningful political engagement over the Biafran question must address the demand for a referendum rather than focus exclusively on alternative political arrangements within Nigeria.

“My subject is one subject: the right of Biafrans to say, in a free vote, whether they will live as a people under their own roof,” he said.

Kanu Urges Supporters To Sustain Campaign For His Release

The IPOB leader used the address, delivered under the theme “Maka Odi Nma Ndi Igbo,” meaning “For the Good and Benefit of the Igbo People,” to commend AVID and other pro-Biafra organisations for their support during his detention.

He urged the veterans to sustain their campaign for his release and that of other individuals he described as Biafrans unjustly detained by Nigerian authorities.

Kanu specifically acknowledged AVID President, Dr Sylvester Onyia, whom he credited with repeatedly travelling to Abuja to attend court proceedings during his legal battle.

According to Kanu, Onyia also visited him in hospital and continued advocating for his release during periods when public attention to his case appeared to be declining.

“You did not advocate from a safe distance. You travelled to Abuja again and again while I was held in solitary confinement,” he said.

He also recognised the contributions of Rising Sun and Ambassadors for Self-Determination, describing the organisations as important sources of support for his welfare and the broader Biafran self-determination movement.

“I expect you to continue that unflinching support for my release and for the release of every Biafran locked up unjustly. Do not grow weary. The work is not finished,” Kanu stated.

He called on the organisations and other supporters to pursue their advocacy through lawful and honourable means.

Alleges Government Interference In IPOB Leadership

Kanu also alleged that the Nigerian government had interfered with IPOB's internal leadership structure and attempted to create divisions within the organisation.

He claimed that the group's Third Administration of the Directorate of State had been penetrated by the government and subsequently dissolved.

The IPOB leader further alleged that individuals he accused of betraying the movement had been removed from the organisation.

These allegations were presented in Kanu's address; the claims were not independently established in the material provided.

“When the Nigerian government succeeded in penetrating the Third Administration of our Directorate of State, many who once spoke loudly fell silent, or worse, became instruments of confusion,” he said.

“That administration has been dissolved. Those who betrayed the family have been sacked and expelled from the IPOB worldwide family.”

Kanu praised AVID for maintaining its allegiance to his leadership during the period of internal tensions, saying the organisation had committed itself to engaging only with officials appointed by him.

He maintained that discipline and unity were essential to sustaining the Biafran self-determination campaign.

Kanu Challenges UK Over Detention

The detained separatist leader also commended AVID for writing to British officials, including the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and the United Kingdom High Commission in Nigeria, over concerns about his detention and legal circumstances.

Kanu, who holds British citizenship, described the advocacy as an effort to hold the British government accountable for its response to his case.

He reiterated his allegation that he was abducted in Kenya and unlawfully transferred to Nigeria, where he was subsequently detained and prosecuted.

“You put the United Kingdom on the record. History will remember who wrote and who looked away,” he said.

He also criticised the handling of his case by the Nigerian judiciary, describing the proceedings and outcome as unjust.

Kanu argued that his conviction was based on repealed laws and what he characterised as a disregard for an earlier acquittal.

He recalled previous encounters with Nigerian authorities, claiming that he was first arrested in 2005 at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, arrested again in Lagos in 2015, and later taken from Kenya to Nigeria.

He portrayed the successive arrests and prosecution as attempts to prevent the Biafran people from asserting their identity and political aspirations.

His account of the arrests, transfer and judicial proceedings reflects his position on the case and should be distinguished from findings established by the courts.

'Eight Years In Detention' Has Not Changed His Position

Kanu maintained that his prolonged detention and periods of solitary confinement had not weakened his commitment to the pursuit of Biafran independence.

He described his imprisonment as an attempt to break his resolve and weaken the movement but insisted that he remained committed to his political objective.

“I have spent eight years of my life in detention in pursuit of the only goal that matters to me, and indeed to all of us: a peaceful homeland called Biafra,” he said.

He further argued that his vision was not driven by revenge or disorder but by the establishment of a country where Biafrans could live under their own laws.

“Not a slogan. A country. Not revenge. Safety. Not chaos. Order under our own law,” Kanu stated.

He reiterated that he would not accept any political settlement requiring him to abandon the demand for a referendum on Biafra's independence.

“I am not available for any bargain that leaves Biafra unnamed. I am available for a referendum. I am available for the work of a free people,” he added.

Invokes History Of Igbo Landing In Georgia

Kanu also called on AVID members to draw inspiration from the historical significance of Igbo Landing in Georgia, a site associated with an 1803 incident involving enslaved Igbo captives who resisted their enslavement.

The location holds symbolic significance in African American and Igbo historical memory and is frequently associated with themes of resistance, freedom, identity and dignity.

Kanu argued that the history surrounding the site should inspire the veterans to continue advocating for the political aspirations and rights of the Igbo people.

“You will stand at Igbo Landing, where our ancestors walked into the water rather than live as property. That shore is not a picnic ground. It is a verdict. The spirit of the Igbo cannot be enslaved,” he said.

He urged AVID members to apply the principle of self-determination, which he associated with American political ideals, to the aspirations of the Biafran movement.

The IPOB leader called on AVID, Rising Sun, Ambassadors for Self-Determination and other supporters to sustain their advocacy for his release and the release of other detainees.

Biafra Referendum Remains Central To Kanu's Position

Kanu's address leaves little room for a negotiated settlement that excludes his demand for a referendum, rejecting political appointments, restructuring and other arrangements as substitutes for a direct vote on Biafra's future.

His position raises broader questions about the prospects for dialogue between the Nigerian government and advocates of Biafran independence, particularly over whether self-determination demands can be addressed within Nigeria's constitutional and political framework.

While Kanu insists that a referendum is the only acceptable subject for negotiations, his declaration does not, by itself, establish whether the Nigerian government or other relevant stakeholders would agree to such a process.

For now, the IPOB leader has reiterated his position that any settlement that leaves the question of Biafra's sovereignty unresolved would be unacceptable to him.

His message to supporters is unequivocal: the campaign for his release must continue, but the demand for a referendum must remain at the centre of the Biafran self-determination movement.