The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has rejected claims linking its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, to the 2020 EndSARS protests.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) reports that IPOB described the allegation as baseless, desperate, and politically motivated, following court proceedings in Abuja.
The group issued a press statement on Thursday through its spokesperson, Comrade Emma Powerful, in reaction to submissions made at the Federal High Court during Kanu’s ongoing trial.
According to the statement, the prosecution accused Kanu of inciting the EndSARS protests through online broadcasts in 2020.
IPOB called the claim “intellectually bankrupt” and “morally obscene,” describing it as a last-ditch effort to salvage a collapsed case.
At the June 19 court session, the prosecution, led by Chief Awomolo (SAN), officially closed its case after cross-examination.
Kanu’s legal team, led by Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), immediately indicated plans to file a no-case submission.
The defence argued that the federal government had failed to present any credible evidence linking Kanu to terrorism or any criminal act.
IPOB pointed out that the EndSARS protest was a spontaneous, youth-led movement that began in Delta State, not a plot by their detained leader.
The group criticised the credibility of the government’s main witness, referred to as PW5-EEE, said to be an intelligence officer.
According to the defence, the witness gave contradictory and evasive responses under cross-examination, prompting multiple interventions from Justice James Omotosho.
IPOB further alleged that the prosecution relied on forged documents, including an intelligence report dated June 2025, to support allegations tied to the 2020 protest.
The group questioned the authenticity of such documents, arguing that they were backdated to fabricate a link between Kanu and national unrest.
It also accused the government of failing to provide names, ranks, or death certificates for security agents allegedly killed in the South East.
The group challenged the media for focusing on government narratives while ignoring glaring inconsistencies exposed in court.
IPOB urged Nigerians and international bodies to seek Certified True Copies (CTCs) of the court proceedings to assess the truth for themselves.
“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is not on trial for violence,” the group stated. “He is on trial for speaking truth to power and demanding justice.”
The group described the entire prosecution process as a political vendetta aimed at silencing legitimate calls for self-determination.
It insisted that Kanu remains a peaceful advocate and should not be criminalised for airing views on injustice and marginalisation.
IPOB stressed that the trial lacks transparency and due process, warning that continued persecution could worsen political tensions in the country.
The matter has been adjourned to July 18, 2025, for the adoption of final written addresses by both parties.
Kanu remains in detention despite multiple court rulings in his favour and growing calls for his release from local and international human rights groups.
DDM will continue monitoring developments around the case and provide updates on the July hearing.
