The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has rejected what it calls a “baseless and desperate” move by the Federal Government to associate its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, with the 2020 EndSARS protests.
In a statement issued on Thursday, June 19, IPOB responded to claims made during Kanu’s ongoing trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The group alleged that the prosecution’s attempt to tie Kanu to the protest was both “intellectually bankrupt” and “morally obscene.”
“The government’s final attempt to prop up its collapsed case was a laughable claim that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu masterminded the EndSARS protest, which everyone knows was a spontaneous youth-led movement that began in Delta State,” IPOB said in the statement signed by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful.
During the June 19 court session, the prosecution, led by Chief Awomolo (SAN), closed its case after cross-examination. Kanu’s lead counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), indicated the defence would file a no-case submission, arguing the government had failed to prove any link between Kanu and terrorism or any criminal activity.
IPOB criticised the testimony of the government’s key witness, identified as PW5-EEE, an intelligence officer.
According to the group, the witness gave evasive and contradictory answers under cross-examination, prompting Justice James Omotosho to repeatedly intervene and direct him to respond clearly.
READ ALSO: “I Swear on God’s Name”: Nnamdi Kanu Denies Involvement in EndSARS Killings
The group further accused the prosecution of using forged documents, citing an intelligence report dated June 2025 as an attempt to validate events that took place in 2020.
IPOB also stated that the prosecution had failed to present any credible evidence to support allegations of security personnel deaths in the South East.
“There were no names, ranks, death certificates, or eyewitness accounts provided,” the group claimed.
“It is shocking that despite these revelations in open court, the Nigerian media continues to focus on government claims while ignoring evidence that has thoroughly discredited the prosecution’s case,” the statement said.
IPOB urged the public and international observers to seek Certified True Copies (CTCs) of the court proceedings to assess the trial independently.
The group reaffirmed that Kanu is a peaceful campaigner for self-determination and insisted that the trial is politically driven.
“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is not on trial for violence but for daring to demand justice and speak truth to power,” IPOB stated. “The government’s case is not just weak, it is a monument to state-sponsored falsehood.”
The matter was adjourned to July 18, 2025, for the adoption of final written addresses.