The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has urged Igbo diaspora groups to intensify their campaign for his release and the release of other detained pro-Biafra supporters, insisting that a referendum on Biafra’s independence remains the only basis for any political negotiation.
Kanu made the declaration in an address to the American Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID) during its 2026 annual convention in Duluth, Georgia, United States, held from October 9 to 11.
In the address, titled “An Address to the American Veterans of Igbo Descent,” the IPOB leader rejected political arrangements that do not allow the people of Biafra to decide their future through a referendum.
He argued that proposals involving political appointments, restructuring or another conference would not address what he described as the fundamental right of the Igbo people to determine their political destiny.
“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 stated.
Kanu, who is serving a life imprisonment sentence in Sokoto, called on AVID and other pro-Biafra organisations to sustain their advocacy efforts, stressing that their campaign should extend beyond his personal release to include other individuals he described as unjustly detained.
He commended AVID President, Dr Sylvester Onyia, for attending court proceedings in Abuja, visiting him in hospital and continuing to advocate for his release during periods when public attention to his case had reportedly diminished.
According to Kanu, the organisation’s continued involvement demonstrated commitment to the Biafran cause despite the challenges surrounding his detention.
He also acknowledged the contributions of Rising Sun and Ambassadors for Self-Determination, describing the groups as important supporters of his welfare and the wider self-determination movement.
The IPOB leader urged the organisations not to abandon their efforts, saying the struggle remained unfinished.
Kanu also used the address to raise concerns about what he alleged was government interference in IPOB’s internal administration. He claimed that the group’s Third Administration of the Directorate of State had been infiltrated and subsequently dissolved.
He further alleged that individuals accused of betraying the movement had been expelled, while praising AVID for maintaining its allegiance to his leadership during the internal disagreements.
“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.
These allegations were presented by Kanu in his address.
Beyond internal party matters, Kanu commended AVID for petitioning British officials, including the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and the United Kingdom High Commission in Nigeria, over his detention and legal circumstances.
A British citizen, Kanu reiterated his allegation that he was abducted in Kenya and transferred to Nigeria unlawfully. He also criticised the handling of his prosecution, arguing that his conviction was unjust and that the legal proceedings disregarded an earlier acquittal.
Kanu maintained that his years in detention and solitary confinement had not weakened his commitment to the campaign for Biafran independence.
“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,” he said.
He described his political objective as the establishment of a country where Biafrans could live under their own laws, insisting that his campaign was not motivated by revenge or a desire for disorder.
The IPOB leader also called on AVID members to draw inspiration from the history of Igbo Landing in Georgia, a historic site associated with an 1803 incident involving enslaved Igbo captives who resisted their enslavement.
He said the site symbolised freedom, resistance and the determination of the Igbo people to preserve their identity.
Kanu urged the veterans, many of whom had served in the United States armed forces, to use their positions and international connections to advocate for self-determination and the rights of marginalised communities.
He concluded by reiterating that he would not accept any political settlement that excluded a referendum on Biafra’s 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.
