The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has announced that its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, has formally notified members of the United Nations Security Council and 72 countries of changes in the group’s leadership structure.

According to a statement issued on Tuesday by IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful, the notification followed Kanu’s recent dissolution of the group’s third Directorate of State (DOS), previously led by Chike Edoziem, and the appointment of a new fourth Directorate headed by Chris Nwaogu. IPOB also said members of the dissolved administration were expelled after challenging the decision.

The group stated that governments and international authorities had been informed of the leadership transition and advised to recognise only communications issued by the new Directorate of State. It added that copies of IPOB’s Code of Conduct were also shared with the notified authorities to explain the constitutional basis for the leadership changes.

IPOB maintained that, under its internal rules, only the Supreme Leader has the authority to appoint, suspend or remove principal officers, describing Kanu’s decision as final.

The group further claimed that, in addition to the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, 72 countries and territories—including Israel, Germany, Canada, India, Japan, France, Australia and South Africa—had been officially informed of the development.

According to the statement, only documents and official communications endorsed by Chris Nwaogu, the new Head of the Directorate of State, should be regarded as authentic in matters relating to IPOB’s international engagements, including asylum applications and diplomatic correspondence.

IPOB also disclosed that German authorities had been notified of the suspension of Collins Chineduh and the appointment of Abraham Ogbenna as the group’s new National Coordinator in Germany. It added that similar notifications were being sent to other countries where necessary.

The organisation said it has begun legal and administrative steps to recover assets, funds and properties previously managed by the dissolved Directorate of State, while urging members and supporters worldwide to disregard any correspondence not issued by the newly constituted leadership.