Simon Ekpa is paid to cripple Biafra agitation- IPOB

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have firmly denied any connection with Simon Ekpa, despite his claims of leadership, describing him as a “destructive agent paid to infiltrate and destroy the IPOB peaceful movement for Biafra self-determination”.

The group accused the Nigerian government and politicians of using Simon Ekpa’s violent faction to discredit the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and their peaceful self-determination movement.

IPOB also claimed that the government is deliberately linking Ekpa’s actions to their peaceful movement for Biafran self-determination to blackmail and discredit their legitimate cause.

This came a day after Finland police arrested the self-acclaimed Biafran agitator, yesterday for promoting violence against civilians and authorities of Nigeria.

According to a statement issued by the group’s Public Affairs Secretary, Emma Powerful on Friday, the self-acclaimed prime minister of the infamous Biafra Government in Exile (BRGIE) was never a registered member of the IPOB unit anywhere, including Finnland, where he was arrested.

The Nnamdi Kanu-led movement, also disclosed that Ekpa through his BRGIE group has perpetuated various violent acts against the civilians in the Eastern Region in the name of Biafra agitation which has so far claimed the lives of many in the eastern states.

Meanwhile, it noted that IPOB is a peaceful global movement that has never taken to violence or arms struggle in two decades of their self-determination struggle saying, even though the various murderous government regimes in Nigeria have provoked us. We have remained resolute and peaceful. 

The statement reads in part,
“The attention of the global family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has been drawn to the purported arrest and claim of being an IPOB member by the infamous Prime Minister of Biafra Government in Exile (BRGIE) named Simon Ekpa. For public records, Simon Ekpa has never been a member of IPOB led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who is currently being detained illegally in the DSS solitary confinement by the Nigerian Government for almost four years”

“Contrary to the disinformation from the BBC News report that Simon Ekpa is an IPOB leader. Simon Ekpa is not an IPOB member, let alone a leader in IPOB. IPOB has some family units in Finland, and Simon Ekpa is not a registered member of any IPOB unit in Finland or any unit globally. Mazi Nnamdi Okwu Kanu established IPOB as a peaceful movement to seek Biafra Independence via a supervised UN referendum. IPOB is a peaceful global movement that has never taken to violence or arms struggle in two decades of our self-determination struggle. Even though the various murderous government regimes in Nigeria have provoked us. We have remained resolute and peaceful”.

“The Simon Ekpa-led group has no alliance or relationship with IPOB and Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. He recruited his criminals who have been terrorizing the Biafran territory since 2021 after the kidnap, extraordinary rendition, and illegal detention of the IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from Kenya to Nigeria. The Nigerian government and politicians whom Biafrans believe contracted Simon Ekpa have been tagging his group’s violent and terrorist activities on IPOB just to blackmail and demonize the genuine and peaceful Biafra self-determination struggle led by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB”

“Simon Ekpa has been shielded from arrest and terrorism charges against innocent Biafran civilians by the Nigerian and the Finnish governments’ diplomatic maneuvering. However, for every crime, there is a day of reckoning. On the purported arrest of Simon Ekpa, all IPOB members, Biafrans, and lovers of Biafra freedom should remain calm and focus on the ball which is the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from the illegal detention and the Biafra restoration project. IPOB does not do violent agitation or violence against civilians. IPOB does not do violent agitation or violence against the Nigerian Security Forces or the sponsored infiltrator criminals represented by Simon Ekpa”.