Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki
Pro-separatist group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has announced the suspension of Mr Kingsley Kanu, younger brother of its Leader, Nnamdi Kanu, from the group.
The younger Kanu’s suspension was announced in a statement signed by the National Coordinator of the group in Germany, Collins Chinedu, and issued by IPOB’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful.
The group accused the younger Kanu of indulging in a series of anti-IPOB activities with the aim of bringing the IPOB family in Germany to disrepute and by extension, disorganising the larger IPOB family worldwide.
Among the anti-IPOB activities levelled against Mr Kanu include insubordination to IPOB Leadership, forming a parallel leadership in Germany and flouting the group’s code of conduct.
The group said Mr Kingsley Kanu has been using his affiliation to its Leader, Nnamdi Kanu, to an unmerited super advantage and has been placing himself above every IPOB rules and discipline guiding the noble IPOB in Germany and worldwide.
The group noted that Mr. Kingsley Kanu is an ordinary unit member of the IPOB in Landsberg Am Lech, Germary.
The offences against him according to the statement are: “Mr. Kingsley Kanu has been in the constant habit of flagrantly flouting every IPOB code of conduct, thereby seeing himself as above the laws and often throwing every decorum to the winds”
“Reporting a fellow very hardworking IPOB member to the German Criminal Police contrary to the IPOB Code of conduct and in violation of his oath to the IPOB”
“Issuing orders to his superior officers in the hierarchy of IPOB without the approval of the IPOB Leadership”
“Imposing and parading an expelled IPOB member, Mr. Ogbenna Abraham, as the new National Coordinator in Germany with the sole intent to cause division within the existing structure in Germany”
“Ordering his purported national coordinator in German to create another principle servants forum through which IPOB members are being lobbied to join his illegal group and to attend series of his illegally organised online,” the statement said.
IPOB further stated that Mr Kingsley Kanu must understand that the struggle to liberate Biafraland is beyond anybody’s affiliation with its supreme Leader, Nnamdi Kanu, adding that the struggle itself is beyond a family affair.
“The IPOB in Germany is a registered non-profit-making organisation under German laws”
“Mr Kingsley Kanu must, therefore, be reminded that further violations of the code of conduct will have serious legal consequences,” the group warned.
“In view of the above stated infractions and anti IPOB activities carried out by Mr. Kingsley Kanu, the lPOB leadership in Germany hereby, unanimously suspends him indefinitely from the family of IPOB in Germany led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu with effect from today, the 21st of January 2023,” the group declared.
It warned that any member of the IPOB worldwide who who chooses to deal or take orders from him on behalf of IPOB is doing so at his/her own risk.
IPOB is a separatist group which is seeking for the creation of an Independent Biafra State to be carved out of present day South-Eastern Nigeria and parts of South-South of the country.
The group’s Leader, Nnamdi Kanu is being held in detention by Nigeria’s Federal Government on allegations of treason despite being discharged by the appeal court.
Last year one of his followers, Simon Ekpa, allegedly broke away and formed a parallel group which has been accused of carrying out most of the deadly attacks on security agencies, government officials and facilities and indeed people of the South-East region.