A pro-Biafra advocacy group, Ambassadors for Self-Determination USA, has accused Igbo politicians of deliberately abandoning the detained leader of the Igbo People of Biafra (IPOB) Group, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, alleging that they are largely responsible for his continued detention in prison where he has been sentenced for life.
In a press statement issued on January 30, 2026, signed by its Chairman, Mazi Evans Nwankwo in Washington, D.C., the group reacted to recent remarks attributed to Nigeria’s Minister of Works, David Umahi, who reportedly said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has “defied all agitations from Biafra.”
According to the group, the comment reflects what it described as a deeper political reality—that key Igbo political leaders have chosen personal ambition over the interests of their people and have failed to advocate for Kanu’s release.
“Igbo politicians have deliberately abandoned Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leaving non-Igbos with no reason to intervene,” the group stated. It added that anyone expecting these politicians to campaign for Kanu’s freedom was “living in illusion.”
Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has remained in detention despite repeated calls by supporters and rights groups for his release or a political resolution to the Biafra question. His continued detention has remained a major political and social issue in Nigeria’s South-East region.
The group argued that public focus has been placed too heavily on the Federal Government and the judiciary, while ignoring what it described as the role of Igbo political elites in sustaining the situation. According to the statement, some Igbo leaders have distanced themselves from Kanu and the Biafra movement in order to gain acceptance within Nigeria’s central political structure.
Ambassadors for Self-Determination USA claimed that several Igbo governors and senior politicians only rose to power after openly rejecting Kanu and opposing the Biafra agitation. The group alleged that this political alignment reduced pressure on Abuja and weakened the push for dialogue or compromise.
The statement also referenced comments previously made by former Kano State Governor and APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, which the group said confirmed that Igbo politicians had withdrawn support for Kanu, leaving the issue politically isolated.
According to the group, the situation has resulted in what it described as “a small political elite holding millions of people hostage,” while pursuing personal ambitions within Nigeria’s political system.
The group further criticized the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing the party of using the language of national unity to justify the suppression of dissent and continued detention of separatist figures. It described claims that government actions were taken without “sentiments” as a justification for ignoring the grievances of the South-East.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Ambassadors for Self-Determination USA urged Biafrans to be cautious of political promises and warned against placing hope in electoral processes it described as flawed. It also criticized state governments in the South-East for enforcing market openings on Mondays despite ongoing sit-at-home protests linked to Kanu’s detention.
Rather than direct confrontation, the group called for strategic political action, including what it described as the rejection and isolation of leaders accused of betraying the Biafran cause.
The statement concluded by urging unity among Biafrans and insisting that the struggle for self-determination remains rooted in the will of the people, not in Nigeria’s political institutions.
