Uchechigeme Anyanwụụtụtụ Okwu‑Kanu, wife of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has recounted the circumstances surrounding her husband’s abduction in 2009, describing the episode as a painful milestone in their long struggle.
In a social media post on Thursday, Okwu‑Kanu said both she and her husband endured immense personal hardships in pursuit of what she called the “restoration and transformation” of their people.
Okwu‑Kanu revealed that Kanu was abducted in broad daylight on December 19, 2009, the very day their traditional marriage ceremony was scheduled.
She alleged that men loyal to Ralph Uwazuruike, leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), carried out the seizure in front of their family square.
Okwu‑Kanu accused Uwazuruike of betraying her husband, saying the incident remains a deeply harrowing memory.
According to her account, Kanu was not only kidnapped but also assaulted and publicly humiliated during the abduction.
She said his supposed “offence” was opposing what she described as the exploitation of the Igbo cause for personal gain, including the production of so‑called Biafran passports, vehicle number plates, and proposals to issue currency for profit.
Reflecting on the ordeal, Okwu‑Kanu offered words of resilience and hope.
“I will stop here for today. But understand this: there are battles in which the only weapon you possess is time. And in a little while, Nnamdi Kanu will be free,” she wrote.