Kanu, US Ally Unveil Radical Manifesto, Demand New Nigerian Constitution

In a bold move, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has collaborated with American ally Mike Arnold to release a comprehensive manifesto titled 'The Sokoto Declaration: A Call to Rise Up and Free the Land Known as Nigeria.' The document, which was authenticated by Kanu's lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, and co-signed by Arnold, was smuggled out of Kanu's detention facility in Sokoto and made public on May 30, 2026.

The manifesto is a scathing critique of the Nigerian state, accusing it of perpetuating a long-standing campaign of conquest and ethnic cleansing under the guise of 'climate change' and 'farmer-herder clashes.' It calls on all tribes across the country to unite and challenge the ruling elite. The document highlights the starkly different backgrounds of its authors, with Kanu currently imprisoned and Arnold having traveled extensively to document human rights abuses in Nigeria.

The manifesto pulls no punches, describing the current administration in Abuja as an 'evil regime' that thrives on mass graves, corruption, and the suppression of truth-tellers. It states, 'Today we speak as one to every person of conscience on this land — every tribe, every region, every faith. We share one enemy and one future.' The document argues that the time has come for bold action, saying, 'When darkness covers a people, when truth-tellers are jailed, when a government's full-time work is hiding mass graves — that is the hour when boldly speaking truth can topple tyrants and set the people free.'

The declaration provides a historical context for the current crisis, tracing the roots of systemic violence in Nigeria back to the 1900 Sokoto Caliphate and the Biafra-Nigeria War, which resulted in the loss of between 3.6 and 5 million lives. It also highlights the ongoing security crisis in the Middle Belt and Southern regions, where over 180,000 deaths have been documented and 19,000 churches destroyed since 2009.

Kanu and Arnold argue that the current situation is not a result of 'farmer-herder conflict' or 'climate change,' but rather a deliberate campaign of conquest. They contend that every barrel of oil extracted and every kilogram of ore mined in the context of this violence is tantamount to theft. The manifesto also invokes Nigeria's 'Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act 2022,' arguing that the federal government's actions constitute terrorism under its own domestic laws.

The authors call for international bodies, foreign governments, and human rights institutions to support an internationally supervised process to create a new constitutional framework for Nigeria, one that is rooted in genuine self-determination. While they emphasize that they are not advocating for chaos or unjust violence, they assert the right of local communities to defend themselves with 'overwhelming lethal force' against armed invaders.

The release of 'The Sokoto Declaration' carries significant weight, coinciding with the 59th anniversary of the declaration of Biafra. Kanu's partnership with Mike Arnold, an American legal figure with diplomatic connections, signals a shift in IPOB's strategy, framing Nigeria's crisis as a unified struggle for all oppressed ethnic nationalities.

The move also confirms reports of behind-the-scenes efforts by federal authorities to isolate Kanu from his support base by transferring him to a remote confinement facility in the far north. The declaration is a call to action, urging all people of conscience to unite and challenge the ruling elite in Nigeria.