By Phil Okose, Onitsha
Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has reacted to the arrest of Simon Ekpa by Finish police stating that Ekpa was never a member of IPOB that is known all over the world as a non violent movement struggling for actualization of an independent Biafran state.
Reacting through her image maker, Emma Powerful, the movement stated that, “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 since 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 being 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,” the movement stated.
According to the spokesman, some people believed Simon was sympathetic to the Biafra course until they discovered that he was a destructive agent paid to infiltrate and destroy the IPOB peaceful movement for Biafra self-determination.
“He recruited violent criminals to destabilize the South East Region in 2021. He is a self acclaimed prime minister of a small group called Biafra Government in Exile (BGIE). The infamous BGIE led by Simon Ekpa created a violent group that call themselves the Biafra Liberation Army.
“They have perpetuated various violent acts against the civilians in the Eastern Region in the name of Biafra agitation. IPOB family worldwide refused to accept that system to achieve Biafra freedom and sovereignty.
“His group and the Nigerian Army are responsible for many kidnappings, rapes, forceful disappearances, killings, and burning of homes in the South Eastern region. Undoubtedly, Simon Ekpa has claimed responsibility for the violent actions of his criminal gang.
“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 kidnapp, extraordinary rendition, and illegal detaintion of the IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from Kenya to Nigeria.
“The Nigerian government and politicians whom Biafrans believe contracted Simon Ekpa has 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.
IPOB remindedis BBC News and Finnish Authorities that Simon Ekpa has no relationship with Kanuled IPOB that is a peaceful movement that has adopted civil disobedience to press for their demand for Biafra’s self-determination and referendum
“. Unlike Simon Ekpa, who recruits and funds criminals who carry out killings of civilians and government agents, destroyed many homes in Biafra territory. Therefore, no person or institution should link Simon Ekpa and his group to IPOB. We do not have any relationship whatsoever.
IPOB disclosed that Simon Ekpa has been shielded from arrest and terrorism charges against innocent Biafran civilians by the Nigerian and the Finnish governmentsc untill now that is a day of reckoning.
