Nnamdi Kanu Rules Out Negotiations Without Biafra Independence Referendum, Insists Demand Is Non-Negotiable
The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has insisted that any negotiation concerning the Biafran agitation must include a referendum on independence, declaring that there is no middle ground on the issue.
Kanu made his position known in an address to the American Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID) during its 2026 annual convention held in Duluth, Georgia, United States, from October 9 to 11.
In the address titled “An Address to the American Veterans of Igbo Descent,” Kanu maintained that he would not accept political arrangements that fail to recognise the right of the Biafran people to determine their future through a referendum.
“Referendum, or the unilateral pursuit of Biafran sovereignty. There is no middle ground,” he declared.
He rejected proposals centred on political appointments, restructuring and the convening of another conference, insisting that the fundamental issue was the right of the Biafran people to decide whether they wanted an independent homeland.
“My subject is one subject: the right of Biafrans to say, in a free vote, whether they will live as a people under their own roof,” he stated.
Kanu, who is serving a life sentence in Sokoto, delivered the address under the theme “Maka Odi Nma Ndi Igbo,” meaning “For the Good and Benefit of the Igbo People.”
He commended AVID for its continued advocacy for his release and its efforts to draw international attention to his detention. He particularly praised the organisation’s president, Dr Sylvester Onyia, for attending court proceedings in Abuja and visiting him in hospital during his detention.
According to Kanu, Onyia remained committed to the campaign for his release even when public attention surrounding his case appeared to be declining.
He urged AVID and other pro-Biafra organisations to intensify their efforts towards securing the release of other detained Biafrans whom he described as unjustly imprisoned.
“I expect you to continue that unflinching support for my release and for the release of every Biafran locked up unjustly. Do not grow weary. The work is not finished,” he said.
The IPOB leader also acknowledged the contributions of Rising Sun and Ambassadors for Self-Determination, describing them as important supporters of his welfare and the broader Biafran self-determination campaign.
On the internal affairs of IPOB, Kanu alleged that the Nigerian government had infiltrated the organisation’s Third Administration of the Directorate of State, leading to its dissolution.
He further claimed that individuals accused of betraying the movement had been expelled from the organisation.
Kanu praised AVID for maintaining its support for his leadership during the period of internal disagreements, adding that unity and discipline were necessary for the continuation of the struggle.
He also commended the organisation for writing to British officials, including the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and the United Kingdom High Commission in Nigeria, over his detention.
Kanu, a British citizen, reiterated his allegation that he was abducted in Kenya and unlawfully transferred to Nigeria, where he was detained and prosecuted.
He criticised the judicial proceedings against him, arguing that his conviction was based on repealed laws and that an earlier acquittal had been disregarded.
Recalling his encounters with Nigerian authorities, Kanu said he was first arrested in 2005 at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, arrested again in 2015, and subsequently taken from Kenya to Nigeria.
He maintained that his years in detention and solitary confinement had not weakened his determination to pursue 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.
Kanu described his vision as the establishment of a country where Biafrans could live under their own laws, insisting that his objective was not revenge or disorder.
He also urged AVID members to use their experience as United States military veterans to advocate for self-determination and the rights of marginalised communities.
Referencing Igbo Landing in Georgia, a historic site associated with an 1803 incident involving enslaved Igbo captives who resisted their enslavement, Kanu encouraged the veterans to draw inspiration from its history of resistance and freedom.
He called on AVID, Rising Sun, Ambassadors for Self-Determination and other supporters to sustain their advocacy, reiterating that no political settlement would be acceptable without a referendum on Biafran sovereignty.
