BY FRONTLINE REPORTERS

UMUAHIA — The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has alleged that 68 detained Biafrans were secretly transferred from Wawa Barracks to correctional facilities in Kuje, Keffi and Suleja, accusing the Federal Government of using the justice system to prolong the detention of its members.

The group also claimed that the Court of Appeal had yet to schedule a hearing on an appeal challenging the conviction of its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, despite the compilation and transmission of the record of appeal.

IPOB made the allegations in its weekly address issued on Sunday by the Head of its Directorate of State (DOS), Mazi Chris Nwaogu. Nwaogu said the group’s legal team had identified the 68 detainees and was working to secure their release, urging supporters to sustain efforts to obtain justice for those in custody.

He further alleged that a separate fundamental rights suit concerning Kanu’s detention had suffered a setback after the presiding judge reportedly disclosed that the court file was missing. According to him, the suit relates to Kanu’s continued detention for 14 months after the Court of Appeal discharged him on October 13, 2022.

The IPOB spokesman also questioned the legal basis of Kanu’s conviction by Justice Omotosho on November 20, 2025, alleging that the judgment relied on a repealed law. He cited Section 36(12) of the Constitution, which stipulates that no person may be convicted of a criminal offence unless the offence and its penalty are prescribed in written law.

Meanwhile, IPOB has disowned an audio message circulating online that purportedly announced the reinstatement of an enforced Monday sit-at-home across the South-East. Nwaogu said neither the DOS nor the High Command of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) authorised the directive, warning against attempts to enforce an unauthorised shutdown.

He urged residents to disregard the audio message and avoid actions capable of triggering violence or disrupting economic activities across the region.

The group also announced what it described as a phased political disengagement from the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections. It directed its supporters to boycott APC-related activities, stay away from the party’s rallies, stop carrying its flags and refrain from defending APC governors, while reiterating its position on boycotting the 2027 elections.

Nwaogu said the proposed boycott was a response to what IPOB described as injustice, unlawful detention and persecution of its members. He, however, cautioned supporters against violence and warned politicians not to exploit the planned boycott for personal or political gain.

IPOB renewed its demand for Kanu’s immediate and unconditional release, urging the judiciary to schedule the appeal for hearing and determine the legal questions surrounding his conviction.

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