The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has written an open letter to U.S. President Donald Trump, alleging that the ongoing killing of Christians in Nigeria has now spread to the Southeast.
In the letter, Kanu claimed that Christians of Igbo origin are being targeted under the guise of counter-terrorism and accused the Nigerian government of complicity in the violence.
He praised Trump’s recent statement warning that the U.S. could take military action or cut aid to Nigeria if the country fails to protect its Christian population, calling it a “ray of hope” for those facing persecution.
Kanu wrote, “This genocide is no longer confined to the North — it has spread into the Igbo heartland, where Judeo-Christians are being systematically exterminated under the guise of counter-terrorism.”
He identified himself as “a peaceful, non-violent civil rights leader rooted in Judeo-Christian principles,” and said he had survived four assassination attempts since 2015. Kanu also recounted his “illegal abduction” from Kenya in June 2021 and his continued detention in Abuja despite a Kenyan court ruling against his extradition.
According to Kanu, extremist groups such as Boko Haram, ISWAP, and Fulani militias are operating in the Southeast with government backing. He alleged that the Nigerian military has become “the primary perpetrator” of violence against Christians in the region.
He further accused the government of weaponizing insecurity to tarnish IPOB’s image, saying:
“Since my illegal rendition, Nigeria has declared IPOB a terrorist organization without evidence, sponsored attacks through so-called ‘unknown gunmen,’ and killed over 2,000 Igbo youths under the pretext of counter-terrorism.”
Kanu concluded by warning that the situation mirrors the early stages of the Rwandan genocide and urged the U.S. to act before it escalates further.
