A human rights lawyer, Barrister Christopher Chidera, has issued a fiery response to an article published by TheCable, which he described as a "worthless hit piece masquerading as journalism." The lawyer’s reaction comes after TheCable published an opinion piece titled “How Nnamdi Kanu Sought to Please South-Easterners with Hilarious Propaganda”, which sought to discredit the detained IPOB leader.

In his statement widely circulated on Tuesday, Chidera condemned the article, claiming it was an intellectually lazy attempt to demonize Nnamdi Kanu and distort his message to the South-East.

“TheCable’s article is a textbook example of cowardly journalism steeped in ignorance, deceit, and a thinly veiled contempt for truth,” Chidera said.

He also took issue with the author’s use of the pseudonym "Pephel," alleging that the writer was either an outsider or an “Efulefu” — an Igbo term for individuals who abandon their heritage for personal gain.

Nnamdi Kanu’s Controversial Claims Revisited

The lawyer defended Kanu’s controversial claim that former President Muhammadu Buhari allegedly died in 2017 and was replaced by an impostor. Chidera questioned why the Nigerian government, despite labeling Kanu a propagandist, never officially charged him for that specific claim.

“If it is propaganda, why didn’t the government charge him for it? Why did Abubakar Malami, the former Attorney-General, ignore it in all court proceedings?” he asked.

He further referenced past incidents, such as the government’s explanation that “rats chased Buhari out of Aso Rock,”suggesting that it was part of a larger attempt to cover up identity inconsistencies.

Accusations Against the Nigerian Media and Yoruba Journalists

Chidera’s statement extended criticism to Nigerian journalists, particularly those of Yoruba descent, accusing them of historically aiding divide-and-rule tactics employed by both colonial and post-colonial governments.

“This is the role many Yoruba journalists have played historically—tools of divide and rule, deploying clever-sounding nonsense to undermine southern solidarity,” he asserted.

Message to the Igbo and TheCable

The lawyer called on Igbo people to reject narratives that paint Kanu as an enemy, claiming that “Kanu is not the problem; the cowardice of his people and collaborators is.”

He warned media organisations like TheCable that history would not remember them kindly for prioritizing “paychecks over principles.”

“When history is written, you will not be remembered as journalists but as jesters in the court of tyrants,” he declared.

On Africa’s Leadership and Critical Thinking

Chidera concluded by lamenting what he described as a wider “mental laziness” among Africans, accusing them of worshipping power instead of truth.

“Until Black Africans learn to reason critically, challenge authority, and demand evidence over emotion, we will remain trapped — not by foreign hands, but by our own mental laziness,” he stated.

Background

Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), remains in the custody of the Nigerian government following his extraordinary rendition from Kenya in 2021 and ongoing prosecution over charges related to treasonable felony.

His claims regarding the death of Buhari in 2017 and his replacement with an alleged impostor remain a controversial but unprosecuted subject in the Nigerian political space.

For now, the debate over Kanu’s allegations and his continued detention continues to spark polarizing conversations both within Nigeria and among diaspora communities.