By Ado Oyeyemi
Fresh cracks have emerged within the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra following the suspension of the Office of its leader, by the group’s Directorate of State.
The decision was announced in a statement issued on Thursday by the Head of the Directorate of State, , after a meeting of the organisation’s leadership.
According to the statement, the leadership reviewed intelligence reports relating to communications allegedly emanating from Kanu while in detention and resolved to suspend both the Office of the Leader and the position of Director of Radio Biafra.
The group disclosed that the Directorate of State would henceforth oversee the administration and day-to-day affairs of the movement.
IPOB maintained that the organisation was founded collectively by Biafrans in the diaspora and not by any single individual, stressing that the Directorate of State remained its highest decision-making body.
The leadership said the move became necessary following concerns that certain communications allegedly linked to Kanu had contributed to the arrest and deaths of some members in the South-East.
It also expressed concerns over reports that some individuals were planning to establish a separate militia group, warning that such actions could fuel renewed violence in the region.
According to the statement, the suspension was aimed at preventing what it described as reckless actions, unauthorised directives and statements capable of exposing members to danger.
The group further declared that it would no longer accept responsibility for activities carried out by individuals acting in the name of the suspended offices without authorisation from its recognised leadership structure.
The development comes barely a day after reports emerged that Kanu had dissolved the Edoziem-led Directorate of State and constituted a new leadership team for the organisation.
Kanu was said to have appointed United States-based activist, , as head of a newly constituted Directorate of State and directed him to immediately assume responsibility for coordinating the affairs of the group.
The announcement was conveyed through a statement issued by IPOB spokesperson, .
The Directorate of State was established in 2012 as the administrative arm of IPOB and has been led by different officials over the years, particularly during periods when Kanu was in detention.
The latest development signals a deepening leadership crisis within the separatist movement, with rival factions now laying claim to the authority to direct the affairs of the organisation.
