The family of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has issued a strong public safety warning, alerting Nigerians and the global public to the proliferation of fraudulent social media accounts allegedly impersonating him on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.
In a statement released on Wednesday and signed by Prince Emmanuel Kanu on behalf of the Okwu-Kanu Family, the family said the fake accounts often use “official-looking logos” and misleading location tags, including claims of being based in Nairobi or Sokoto, to deceive unsuspecting followers.
The family emphasized that since Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s rendition and detention in June 2021, he has had no active or verified presence on any social media platform. According to the statement, he does not operate Facebook pages, Instagram accounts, or any online profiles posting personal messages, location updates, or engaging with the public.
Describing the development as a “sustained deceptive operation,” the Kanu family alleged that the impersonation efforts are aimed at harvesting personal data, spreading disinformation to tarnish Kanu and IPOB’s reputation, and potentially exposing genuine supporters to monitoring, harassment, or arrest.
“We strongly advise the public to immediately unfollow and disengage from any suspicious account claiming to represent Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” the statement read. “These pages are not associated with him, IPOB, or the Kanu family in any way.”
The family urged the public to report such pages as impersonation or scam accounts and to rely solely on what it described as verified IPOB communication channels and trusted media affiliates, including Radio Biafra, for authentic updates.
While warning that interaction with the fake pages could expose individuals to personal risks, the statement reaffirmed Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s commitment to what it described as the “peaceful, non-violent pursuit of self-determination for Biafrans.”
The family concluded by reiterating its call for the unconditional release of the detained IPOB leader and pledged to continue exposing what it termed “dirty tactics” aimed at misleading the public.
