The Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) has organised rallies in Abia, Anambra, and Ebonyi states to commemorate the controversial killings of its members during a solidarity rally on January 20, 2017.
On January 20, 2017, IPOB held a solidarity rally in Port
Harcourt, Rivers state capital, for Donald Trump on the day of his inauguration
as the 45th US president.
The separatist group had alleged that security operatives
killed 11 of its members during the solidarity rally. But the police claimed
that it only used tear gas and nobody died.
During the rallies on Tuesday across major towns in Abia,
Anambra, and Ebonyi states, IPOB members carried placards with photographs of
their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, and Israeli flags, while chanting solidarity songs.
They demanded the release of Kanu, recently sentenced to
life imprisonment on terrorism charges, and called for intervention by Trump
and the Israeli government.
In a statement released by IPOB’s media and publicity
directorate, the separatist group said an independent inquiry must be set up to
investigate what happened during the January 20, 2017, rally in Port Harcourt.
“During the peaceful rally, participants carried placards,
banners and photographs of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and renewed their demand for his
immediate and unconditional release, insisting that his continued detention
remains a major catalyst for tension and instability,” the statement reads.
“The rallying crowd also called for an independent inquiry
into the Port Harcourt killings and the wider, worsening insecurity ravaging
the South-East, stressing that truth, accountability and justice are
indispensable to peace.
“IPOB reiterates that all our activities remain peaceful and
lawful. We urge the security agencies to respect the fundamental rights of
citizens to peaceful assembly, and we call on the international community to
take urgent interest in the deteriorating human rights situation in the
South-East of Nigeria.”
In November 2025, Kanu was sentenced to life imprisonment
after being convicted of terrorism.
James Omotosho, the trial judge, held that the prosecution
had successfully established every allegation.
The judge convicted Kanu and sentenced him to life
imprisonment for counts one, two, four, five and six of the seven-count charge.
He received 20 years’ and five years’ imprisonment on counts
three and seven, respectively.
The IPOB leader is currently at a correctional centre in
Sokoto state.
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