Kanunta Kanu, younger brother of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu, has publicly challenged the Nigerian federal government’s assertion that his brother deliberately threatened the nation’s unity. In a bold response on social media, Kanunta contended that Nigeria was already deeply fractured before any of Nnamdi Kanu’s actions.
The reaction came as the federal government argued before the Federal High Court in Abuja that Kanu’s broadcast on Biafra Radio openly declared his intention to break up Nigeria. Government counsel Chief Adegboyega Awomolo claimed Nigerians lived in fear as a result of Kanu’s statements. The government’s submission supports ongoing prosecution efforts seeking to link Kanu with threats to national cohesion.
Kanunta countered these points, calling the prosecution’s arguments “based on hearsay” and publicly challenging the government to produce concrete evidence. In a post on X, he wrote:
“Is Nigeria not broken up already @LeadershipNGA, when an impostor ruled Nigeria for 6 years? The prosecution arguments are based on hearsay. Defence counsel Agabi bring your evidence.”
This dispute highlights the entrenched divisions and ongoing controversies surrounding IPOB, which advocates for Biafra’s independence and has often clashed with Nigerian authorities. The government's framing of Kanu’s actions as an intentional threat to unity contrasts with narratives from IPOB supporters who portray him as a champion of self-determination warning about Nigeria’s systemic failures.
Kanu’s trial and related legal battles continue to attract national and international attention, symbolizing broader debates over Nigeria’s political future, ethnic nationalism, and the limits of dissent. The younger Kanu’s defiant stance underscores the high stakes involved as Nigeria grapples with internal fractures and rising demands for regional autonomy.
