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  • IPOB Suspends Nnamdi Kanu, Removes Him as Radio Biafra Director

    The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has announced the indefinite suspension of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, and removed him from his position as Director of Radio Biafra in what the group described as a move to strengthen and reposition its operations.

    The decision was disclosed in a statement issued on Thursday by Chikadibia Edoziem, head of IPOB’s Directorate of State (DOS), the organisation’s highest decision-making body.

    IPOB Explains Suspension Decision

    According to the statement, the suspension was approved during a DOS meeting held on June 17 after members reviewed an intelligence report allegedly compiled by IPOB’s M-Branch.

    The report reportedly focused on a meeting involving Kanu and officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigerian Intelligence Agency (NIA) while in detention.

    IPOB said the move was necessary to protect the organisation’s structure and prevent actions it believes could endanger members or undermine its objectives.

    Group Cites Security Concerns

    Edoziem claimed that Kanu’s communications and activities while in custody were under constant monitoring by security agencies and alleged that information from prison communications had previously led to arrests and deaths of IPOB members.

    The group also alleged that there were plans to create a new militia that could trigger fresh violence in the South-East and weaken the organisation’s leadership structure.

    According to IPOB, suspending the office of the leader would help prevent individuals from claiming authority to carry out activities that conflict with the movement’s objectives.

    Radio Biafra Role Removed

    As part of the decision, Kanu was also removed from his role as Director of Radio Biafra.

    IPOB maintained that the organisation was founded as a self-determination movement by Biafrans in the diaspora and insisted that no individual possesses the authority to dissolve its central leadership structure.

    The group added that any criminal activity carried out in the name of the suspended office of the leader would no longer be attributed to IPOB.

    Organisation Distances Itself From Unauthorized Actions

    The statement further noted that IPOB would not accept responsibility for actions carried out by individuals or groups who are not officially authorised by its Directorate of State.

    The organisation said the suspension would remain in place indefinitely as part of efforts to maintain internal discipline and prevent further security risks.

     

  • Ejimakor Sparks Debate Over ‘Sharia Mentions’ In Nigerian Constitution, Questions Secular Status

    Human rights lawyer Aloy Ejimakor has sparked fresh debate over religion and constitutional structure in Nigeria after questioning the country’s claim of being a secular state.

    Ejimakor, who serves as counsel to convicted Nnamdi Kanu leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, made the remarks in a statement shared on X on Tuesday.

    ‘Constitution Is Not Secular’

    According to the lawyer, Nigeria’s constitution contains several references to Sharia and Islam while making no mention of Christianity.

    “Do you know that you’ve been lied to that the Nigerian Constitution is a secular Constitution,” he wrote.

    “Well, it’s not, because it contains 73 mentions of SHARIA, 28 mentions of Islam & 10 mentions of Muslim but ZERO mention of CHRISTIAN. Is this not enough to want a separate State? Let’s talk about it, without fear or favor,” he added.

    The comments immediately triggered reactions online, especially amid ongoing conversations around religion, governance and constitutional balance in Nigeria.

    Constitutional Debate Resurfaces

    Nigeria operates under the 1999 Constitution, which prohibits the adoption of any religion as a state religion.

    Section 10 of the Constitution states that “The Government of the Federation or of a State shall not adopt any religion as State Religion.”

    However, the same constitution also provides for the establishment of Sharia Courts of Appeal in states where Islamic personal law is applicable, a provision that has generated legal and political debates for years.

    Ejimakor argued that the repeated references to Sharia institutions contradict the description of Nigeria as a secular nation.

    Religious Tensions Draw Global Attention

    The comments come amid renewed international attention on religious violence and insecurity in Nigeria.

    Earlier in April, United States Congressman Mark Harris called on U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to impose sanctions on Nigeria over alleged attacks on Christians.

    Former U.S. President Donald Trump had also stirred controversy earlier this year after warning of possible intensified military action against militant groups in Nigeria if attacks on Christians continued.

    Despite the concerns, the Nigerian government has repeatedly denied allegations of religious bias, insisting that terrorism and banditry affect both Muslims and Christians across the country.

    Officials maintain that insecurity in Nigeria is driven largely by criminality and extremist violence rather than state-backed religious persecution.