The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has insisted that any discussion concerning the Biafran question must include a referendum on independence, ruling out alternative political arrangements that do not provide for a vote on self-determination.
Kanu made the position known in an address to the American Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID) at its 2026 annual convention held in Duluth, Georgia, United States, from October 9 to 11.
In the address, titled “An Address to the American Veterans of Igbo Descent,” the IPOB leader maintained that the right of the Igbo people to determine their political future remained non-negotiable.
“Referendum, or the unilateral pursuit of Biafran sovereignty. There is no middle ground,” he stated.
“I will not negotiate the existence of my people. I will not bargain our homeland into a committee. I will discuss the referendum and nothing else.”
Kanu dismissed proposals involving political appointments, restructuring and the convening of another conference, arguing that such measures would not address his demand for a referendum on Biafran independence.
“My subject is one subject: the right of Biafrans to say, in a free vote, whether they will live as a people under their own roof,” he said.
The address was delivered under the theme, “Maka Odi Nma Ndi Igbo,” meaning “For the Good and Benefit of the Igbo People.”
Kanu commended AVID for its support for his release and its efforts to draw international attention to his detention. He urged the organisation and other pro-Biafra groups to sustain their advocacy for his freedom and that of other Biafrans he described as unjustly detained.
He singled out AVID President, Dr Sylvester Onyia, for recognition, citing his repeated trips to Abuja to attend court proceedings during Kanu’s detention.
According to the IPOB leader, Onyia also visited him in hospital and continued to advocate for his release when public attention to his case appeared to be declining.
“You did not advocate from a safe distance. You travelled to Abuja again and again while I was held in solitary confinement,” Kanu said.
He added that Onyia had remained supportive throughout what he described as a difficult period of confinement.
Kanu also acknowledged the contributions of Rising Sun and Ambassadors for Self-Determination, describing the groups as important sources of support for his welfare and the broader Biafran movement.
“I expect you to continue that unflinching support for my release and for the release of every Biafran locked up unjustly. Do not grow weary. The work is not finished,” he stated.
He called on members of the diaspora organisation to continue pursuing the rights of Biafrans through lawful and honourable means.
The separatist leader also alleged that the Nigerian government had interfered with IPOB’s internal leadership structure in an attempt to create divisions within the organisation.
He claimed that the group’s Third Administration of the Directorate of State had been infiltrated by the government and subsequently dissolved.
Kanu further alleged that individuals he accused of betraying the movement had been removed from the organisation.
He praised AVID for remaining loyal to his leadership during the internal disagreements, noting that the group had publicly committed to dealing only with officials appointed by him.
“When the Nigerian government succeeded in penetrating the Third Administration of our Directorate of State, many who once spoke loudly fell silent, or worse, became instruments of confusion,” he said.
“That administration has been dissolved. Those who betrayed the family have been sacked and expelled from the IPOB worldwide family.”
Kanu said unity and discipline were essential to sustaining the Biafran self-determination campaign.
He also commended AVID for writing to British officials, including the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and the United Kingdom High Commission in Nigeria, to raise concerns about his detention.
Kanu, who holds British citizenship, described the group’s actions as an effort to hold the British government accountable for his treatment and legal circumstances.
He reiterated his allegation that he was abducted in Kenya and unlawfully transferred to Nigeria, where he was subsequently detained and prosecuted.
“You put the United Kingdom on the record. History will remember who wrote and who looked away,” he said.
Kanu criticised the handling of his case by the Nigerian judiciary, describing the proceedings and eventual outcome as unjust.
He argued that his conviction relied on repealed laws and what he characterised as the disregard of an earlier acquittal.
Recounting his encounters with Nigerian authorities, Kanu claimed that he was first arrested in 2005 at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, arrested again in Lagos in 2015, and later taken from Kenya to Nigeria.
He alleged that the arrests and subsequent prosecution were part of efforts to prevent the Biafran people from asserting their identity and political aspirations.
Despite his prolonged detention and solitary confinement, Kanu maintained that his resolve to pursue Biafran independence had not weakened.
“I have spent eight years of my life in detention in pursuit of the only goal that matters to me, and indeed to all of us: a peaceful homeland called Biafra,” Kanu said.
He maintained that his aspiration was not driven by revenge or disorder but by the desire to establish a country where Biafrans could live under their own laws.
“Not a slogan. A country. Not revenge. Safety. Not chaos. Order under our own law,” he stated.
Reaffirming his position, Kanu said he would not accept any political settlement that excluded a referendum on Biafran sovereignty.
“I am not available for any bargain that leaves Biafra unnamed. I am available for a referendum. I am available for the work of a free people,” he said.
The IPOB leader urged AVID members, drawing on their experience as veterans of the United States armed forces, to advocate for self-determination and the rights of marginalised people.
He specifically referenced Igbo Landing, a historic site in Georgia associated with an 1803 incident in which enslaved Igbo captives resisted their enslavement.
Kanu noted that the site holds symbolic importance in African American and Igbo historical memory and has become a reference point in discussions about resistance, freedom and identity.
He encouraged the veterans to draw inspiration from the site’s history and remain committed to advocating for the Igbo people.
“You will stand at Igbo Landing, where our ancestors walked into the water rather than live as property. That shore is not a picnic ground. It is a verdict. The spirit of the Igbo cannot be enslaved,” he said.
He urged AVID members to apply the principle of self-determination, which he described as central to American ideals, to the political aspirations of the Igbo people.
Kanu concluded by calling on AVID, Rising Sun, Ambassadors for Self-Determination and other supporters of the Biafran cause to sustain their advocacy, insisting that a referendum remained central to his demand for independence.
(SAHARA REPORTERS)
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