The family of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has warned members of the public against fake social media accounts impersonating him.

In a statement issued on Thursday by his younger brother, Emmanuel Kanu, on behalf of the Okwu-Kanu family, the family said several fraudulent accounts, especially on Facebook and Instagram, are falsely presenting themselves as official platforms of the IPOB leader.

“It has come to our attention that fraudulent social media accounts, particularly on Facebook and Instagram, are impersonating Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” the statement read.

The family noted that the fake pages often use official-looking logos, claim locations such as Nairobi or Sokoto, and post misleading updates, stressing that none of the accounts are linked to Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB, or his family.

They emphasised that since his arrest and detention in June 2021, Kanu has had no active or verified social media presence on any platform.

“He does not operate Facebook pages, Instagram accounts, or any other profiles posting personal messages, location updates, or soliciting engagement,” the family stated.

According to the statement, the impersonation is part of what the family described as a coordinated deceptive operation, allegedly aimed at harvesting personal data, spreading disinformation, damaging the reputation of Kanu and IPOB, and identifying genuine supporters for possible surveillance, harassment, or arrest.

The family advised the public to avoid following or engaging with any account claiming to represent Nnamdi Kanu. Immediately unfollow suspicious pages. Report such accounts to social media platforms as impersonation or scam pages.

Rely only on verified IPOB channels and trusted outlets such as Radio Biafra.

They warned that interacting with fake pages could expose individuals to serious risks, given what they described as an ongoing crackdown on the Biafran movement.

The family reiterated that Nnamdi Kanu remains committed to a peaceful and non-violent pursuit of self-determination, while again calling for his unconditional release.

Kanu was first arrested in October 2015 on charges of treasonable felony and was later granted bail in 2017. He subsequently went into exile in the United Kingdom before being arrested again in June 2021 and returned to Nigeria from Kenya, an action his supporters describe as an illegal rendition. He has remained in detention since then.