IPOB, in a statement issued on Friday by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, accused the Nigerian government of orchestrating a biased and politically motivated trial, warning that the country is approaching a breaking point.

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has alleged judicial and ethnic persecution in the ongoing trial of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, at the Federal High Court in Abuja, describing the proceedings as a "disgraceful charade" and a "stage-managed show of shame."

IPOB, in a statement issued on Friday by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, accused the Nigerian government of orchestrating a biased and politically motivated trial, warning that the country is approaching a breaking point.

“There comes a time in the life of a people when silence becomes betrayal. That time is now,” Powerful stated, invoking a tone of defiance and urgency.

Kanu, the leader of IPOB, a separatist group seeking the independence of Biafra from Nigeria, was first arrested in 2015 on charges including treasonable felony.

He was granted bail in 2017 but fled the country after a military raid on his home in Abia State.

In June 2021, Kanu was forcibly returned to Nigeria from Kenya under controversial circumstances, raising questions about the legality of his extradition.

Since then, he has remained in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), facing a prolonged legal battle that has drawn criticism from international human rights organisations and civil society groups.

In the most recent court session, the government’s masked witness, identified as "PW-BBB", allegedly stumbled under cross-examination, claiming ignorance when asked whether he wore a mask during a purported 2021 interview with Kanu at DSS facilities.

IPOB called the testimony of the witness “ridiculous” and a “tragic reminder that Nigeria has completely lost the moral and legal compass of a functioning state.”

According to IPOB, the trial is not about national security or upholding the law, but rather an act of “vengeance for daring to speak against oppression.”

The group further accused the Nigerian judiciary and executive arms of systemic bias against the Igbo people.

IPOB cited what it claimed was the criminalisation of their community defence initiative, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), despite similar groups in other regions receiving support or indifference from the authorities.

The IPOB spokesperson alleged that the trial is being manipulated by a coalition of ethnic and political interests, singling out individuals in power from the Fulani and Yoruba ethnic groups.

The statement passionately appealed to Justice Omotosho, who is presiding over the case, urging him to "redeem the judiciary from disgrace."

“We have read his judgments. We know he is capable of applying the law without fear or favour,” the statement said.

“The question is: will he stand with justice, or will he bow to the corrupt puppeteers of Aso Rock?”

The group warned that continued persecution of its leader could lead to irreversible consequences for Nigeria’s already fragile unity.

“If justice is not served in this case, Nigeria should prepare for the consequences of destroying the last thread holding together its fragile illusion of unity,” Powerful declared.

“IPOB is peaceful, but we are not fools.”

The Nigerian government has consistently maintained that Kanu must face justice for allegedly inciting violence and threatening national unity.

However, human rights observers have expressed concern over the opacity of the proceedings and the treatment of Kanu in detention, including reports of solitary confinement and denial of access to legal counsel.

As IPOB vows not to remain silent, calls are growing for transparency, due process, and a peaceful resolution to the crisis.