Nnamdi Kanu
British-Nigerian political activist / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Nnamdi Okwu Kanu // ⓘ (born 25 September 1967)[4][5] is a British-Nigerian[6] political activist who advocates for the secession and independence of Biafra from Nigeria.[7] He is the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which he founded in 2014.[8] The main aim of IPOB is to restore the defunct separatist state of Biafra which existed in Nigeria's Eastern Region during the Nigerian Civil War of 1967–1970.[9]
Nnamdi Kanu | |
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Born | Nwannekaenyi Nnamdi Okwu Kanu (1967-09-25) September 25, 1967 (age 56) |
Education | University of Nigeria, Nsukka[2] |
Occupation | Activist |
Notable work | Radio Biafra |
Movement | Indigenous People of Biafra |
Spouse | Uchechi Okwu Kanu[3] |
Website | ipob.org |
As the director of a United Kingdom-registered radio station named Radio Biafra, Kanu propagated Biafran separatism.[10] He was arrested on treason charges in Lagos, Nigeria on 14 October 2015 and was detained for more than a year, despite various court orders that ruled for his release. When in court, Kanu appeared regularly wearing a Jewish prayer shawl and head covering. He said in court, that he "believes in Judaism" and considers himself a Jew. He has led his Biafran people to various Jewish prayers and religious observations on different occasions.[11] On 28 April 2017, Kanu was released from prison on bail.[2] Nigerian security forces attempted to quash IPOB's armed wing, the Eastern Security Network, which culminated in a low-level conflict in early 2021. Despite the fighting, Kanu maintained that IPOB was interested in a peaceful solution and achieving Biafran independence without violence or harm. In June 2021, he was re-arrested by Interpol[12][13][14] in Kenya and handed over to Nigeria.