The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has described as “historic” a meeting its delegation and senior Israeli lawmakers held in Jerusalem, saying the engagement was a diplomatic milestone in its campaign over the fate of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
A statement issued on Sunday by the group’s spokesperson Comrade Emma Powerful, said its delegation – under the leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and coordinated by Mazi Chris Nwaọgụ, head of the group’s Fourth Administration of the Directorate of State – was received by Knesset Deputy Speaker Nissim Vaturi and Deputy Chairman Limor Son Har-Melech, a member of the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee.
The group thanked both lawmakers for what it called “the warm, brotherly, and highly productive reception accorded to our delegation in Jerusalem.”
IPOB described the meeting as “a significant milestone in IPOB’s peaceful international diplomatic outreach,” adding that it was “sincerely grateful for the solidarity expressed – particularly the recognition that this is a global struggle between good and evil, and that good shall ultimately triumph when principled nations stand together.”
The group tied the Jerusalem talks directly to Kanu’s own long-stated position, saying the discussions “powerfully echo the longstanding conviction of our leader… that Biafra’s redemption will be advanced through strategic partnerships with Israel and the United States of America, rooted in shared values of justice, liberty, and human dignity.”
Drawing a historical comparison, IPOB said the Jewish and Biafran peoples “share deep historical affinities forged through persecution, discrimination, displacement, and existential threats,” calling Israel’s founding in 1948 “an enduring inspiration.”
It further argued that an independent Biafra “will serve as a secure homeland and safe haven for persecuted Judeo-Christians and other vulnerable minorities across Nigeria who are currently threatened with extinction.”
The group restated its core position that Biafran independence is, in its words, “the only viable and lasting solution” to insecurity in Nigeria’s southeast, and said this would deliver “genuine peace, security, and stability” through what it called adherence to “universally recognised principles of human rights, self-determination, and international law.”
IPOB said the Jerusalem meeting comes alongside “parallel advocacy” it is pursuing in Washington, D.C., and other capitals, and reaffirmed that it remains “committed to lawful diplomacy and peaceful engagement.”
The statement added, “No amount of political pressure or financial influence can permanently suppress a people’s legitimate quest for freedom when pursued with dignity and in accordance with international norms.”
It reaffirmed its “unwavering commitment to non-violent struggle, the rule of law, and constructive international engagement,” thanking “the Government and people of Israel,” Vaturi, Har-Melech, and “all friends of Biafra standing for justice and human rights” – signing off with “Shalom to Israel.”
Kanu, IPOB’s founder, has been in Nigerian custody since his 2021 re-arrest and was sentenced to life imprisonment on terrorism charges in late 2025 after a decade-long legal battle.
He is currently held at a correctional facility in Sokoto.
