The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has issued a formal public briefing asserting that the Federal Government of Nigeria has no legal case against its detained leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. In a statement signed by IPOB’s Director of Media and Publicity, Comrade Emma Powerful, the group outlined eight key legal questions that, it argues, must be answered before any court can reasonably proceed with Kanu’s trial.

Titled "The 8 Questions That Must Be Answered Before Any Talk of Trial: Why Nigeria Has No Case Against Mazi Nnamdi Kanu", the document directly challenges the legitimacy of the charges against the IPOB leader and warns the presiding judge, Justice James Omotosho, against relying on sentiment over legal substance.

Quoting legal precedents from the Nigerian Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, IPOB contends that the prosecution has failed to meet the most basic standards required to establish a prima facie case. Among the issues raised are the absence of an investigation report, lack of credible witnesses, and failure to name a victim or co-conspirators in the case.

“This is not just a legal matter. It is a moral reckoning,” the statement reads. “Unless Justice Omotosho wishes to join those who have desecrated Nigeria’s judiciary, he must answer these questions honestly, lawfully, and courageously.”

IPOB argues that none of the five Department of State Services (DSS) officers listed as witnesses provided direct or corroborated evidence. The group also insists that the mere leadership of IPOB, a group whose proscription was done ex parte and remains under legal challenge, cannot be the basis for criminal liability.

Key excerpts from the statement include:

  • On Investigation: “No investigation report linking Kanu to terrorism, incitement, or treason has been produced.”

  • On Witness Credibility: “All five DSS officers lack firsthand knowledge and are institutionally biased. This is not evidence; it is theatre.”

  • On Legal Process: “A proscription obtained without hearing IPOB or Mazi Kanu is administrative, not judicial. It holds no weight in a criminal trial.”

The group concluded that based on legal precedence and constitutional protections, the trial court must uphold the No-Case Submission and discharge Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

As the court prepares to deliver its ruling, the statement has further polarized legal and political observers in Nigeria, with IPOB calling on citizens, legal professionals, and the international community to hold the judiciary accountable.

“If these questions are left unanswered, the prosecution has failed. And any conviction would amount to judicial compromise,” the statement concludes.

Comrade Emma Powerful
Spokesperson, IPOB Directorate of Media and Publicity