As leaders of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland prepare for a joint meeting to demand independence referendums, Igbo religious and political leaders in Nigeria have issued stark warnings to both the British and Nigerian governments over the continued detention of IPOB leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
The Intersection of United Kingdom Separation Demands and Nigerian Detention Policies
An unfolding political movement across the United Kingdom has drawn sharp attention from religious leaders in Nigeria’s South-East. Representatives of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland — which are three of the nations that make up the United Kingdom — are set to sign a joint declaration demanding the right to hold independence referendums. The referendum, if successful, would pave the way for the nations to become independent countries, leading to the breakup of the UK.
For the Concerned Igbo Ministers, these emerging secessionist pressures in Britain are directly linked to international governance failures and the detention of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader. In a statement signed on Sunday by Rev. Tony Uzor Anthony, the religious leaders argued that the turmoil facing Britain is the outworking of the prophetic word and the spiritual authority of Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. They contend that the British government has connived with the Nigerian government to detain and imprison Kanu.
The gathered religious leaders of the South-East note with solemn attention the unfolding crisis in the United Kingdom — reports of constituent nations preparing to demand referendums on separation, and the deepening spiritual and civic disorder now visible in that land,
We declare that these events are not chance. They are the outworking of the prophetic word and the spiritual authority of Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. What Britain now feels is the weight of the curses laid upon her for persisting in alliance with the Nigerian state to keep an innocent man confined in the heart of the Caliphate.
Spiritual Warnings and Demands for Nnamdi Kanu’s Release
Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who is also a British citizen, was extraordinarily renditioned from Kenya in circumstances described by critics as ignoble. He is currently serving a life sentence in Sokoto prison following his conviction on terrorism charges brought against him by the Nigerian government. His supporters maintain that his prolonged incarceration is a symbol of systemic injustice and the treatment of the Igbo people in Nigeria.
Onyendu is as the Ark of the Covenant that the enemies of Israel carried into the house of their god in mockery. The Lord broke the idol and brought down the temple. So shall it be. His incarceration is not the silencing of a man; it is the holding of a living covenant. That holding will not leave Nigeria or Britain unshaken,
The religious coalition has issued direct demands to both governments:
Release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu without further delay. Hear his demand for a referendum. Cease the policy of connivance that has kept him bound.
They warned that if authorities refuse, the wrath touching Britain will not spare Nigeria, and the year ahead will not be merciful to those who continue to detain a man they view as raised by God.
Broader Political Warnings Ahead of the 2027 General Elections
Separately, the Igbo Leaders of Thought (ILT), in a communiqué jointly signed by its President, Prof. Elo Amucheazi, and Secretary, Prof. Dozie Chukwuokolo, warned on Wednesday against actions that could undermine the 2027 general elections. Comprising traditional rulers, religious leaders, technocrats, and academia, the ILT stated that Nigerians would not be ready to accept flawed election results. They also questioned the motive behind the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) adopting a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket in a country where Christians are more populous than Muslims, and demanded the intervention of the United States to stem genocide and ensure free, fair, and credible elections.
The assembly condemned anti-democratic tendencies orchestrated by the presidency, including the stifling of the opposition and inflammatory comments such as there is no vacancy in Aso Rock
and statements by the president to the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) that all is fair in politics.
Citing the Patriots, the ILT reminded the president that world powers are watching the 2027 elections and demand that results be transmitted appropriately and in real time.
The ILT also highlighted historical grievances and ongoing regional marginalization, pointing to the absence of standard-gauge rail and good roads in Eastern Nigeria, the concessioning of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu while heavy funds go to other airports, the stifling of Eastern seaports, and the widespread confiscation of Igbo properties in Lagos, Abuja, and other parts of Nigeria. They further noted the exclusion of Igbos in key federal appointments—such as the compulsory retirement of an Igbo Deputy Inspector-General of Police to appoint an AIG, while the Head of Service appointment strictly followed seniority to benefit a Yoruba official—and reiterated their demand for Kanu’s immediate release as a prisoner of conscience.
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