The self-declared Prime Minister of the Biafra Government in Exile (BRGIE), Simon Ekpa, was recently arrested in Finland together with four other people for terror-related actions. The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has distanced itself from Ekpa.
Ekpa was detained “on suspicion of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent,” while the other four were detained “for financing a terrorist crime,” according to the Finnish Police.
IPOB charged Ekpa with enlisting violent criminals to cause instability in the South East Region in a statement issued by the organization’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful. Ekpa was also disowned by IPOB, which claimed that he had never been a registered member.
The statement said, “The attention of the global family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has been drawn to the news of the arrest and subsequent claim by the infamous Prime Minister of Biafra Government in Exile (BRGIE) Simon Ekpa of being an IPOB member. To set the records and facts straight, Simon Ekpa has never been a member of the global IPOB family movement.
“Contrary to the deliberate and malicious misinformation from the Neo colonialist news agency, the BBC, that Simon Ekpa is an IPOB leader. Simon Ekpa has never and 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 other IPOB unit globally. Mazi Nnamdi 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 some regimes in Nigeria have provoked us, we have remained resolutely peaceful.
“It was unfortunate that some innocent Biafrans being passionate for the restoration of the stolen sovereignty of the Biafran Nation, thought that Simon Ekpa was genuinely sympathetic to the Biafra course. Sadly, they had to learn the hard way 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 criminally minded group called the Biafra Government in Exile (BGIE). The infamous BGIE led by Simon Ekpa created a violent group that call themselves the Biafra Liberation Army.
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“They have perpetuated various violent acts against the civilian populace of the Eastern Region in the name of Biafra agitation. IPOB family worldwide repudiated that violent system to achieve Biafra freedom and sovereignty severally through our numerous press statements. His (BRGIE) 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, affiliation or relationship with IPOB family worldwide. He recruited his criminals gangs who have been terrorizing the Biafran territory since 2021. The politicians that contracted Simon Ekpa have been making strenuous efforts to tag the violent crimes of their agent on IPOB just to blackmail and demonize the genuine and peaceful Biafra self-determination struggle of the Biafran people led by the IPOB.
In this news release, IPOB is urging Finnish authorities and BBC News to clarify that Simon Ekpa has never had any connection to IPOB in Finland or any other country. Since IPOB opposes the violent agitation he represents, he shouldn’t be linked to the organization. In order to push for a referendum as a means of achieving our aim of self-determination, the nonviolent IPOB movement has turned to civil disobedience. No individual, organization, or government should associate Simon Ekpa and his group with IPOB unless they are involved in the larger scheme to keep the Biafran people in a life of servitude and suffering.
Through diplomatic wrangling, the governments of Finland and Nigeria have protected Simon Ekpa from being arrested and charged with terrorism against defenseless Biafran citizens. But there is a day of reckoning for every wrongdoing. All IPOB members, Biafrans, and supporters of Biafra independence should maintain composure and concentrate on our main goal, which is the restoration of the sovereign state of Biafra, in light of the alleged detention of Simon Ekpa.
