The outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has disowned the controversial pro-Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa, who was arrested on Thursday by police in Finland alongside four others on suspicion of terrorist activities, declaring that he was never a member of the group.
Penpushing reports that the spokesperson of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Emma Powerful, made the declaration in a statement on Friday emphasizing that Ekpa was never registered as a member of the controversial group.
‘Simon Ekpa was 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’, the statement read.
‘IPOB is by this press release calling on BBC News and Finnish authorities to note that Simon Ekpa has never had and does not have any relationship whatsoever with IPOB in Finland or any other unit globally. He should not be associated with IPOB because IPOB does not support the violent agitation that he represents’, Powerful wrote
Penpushing further reports that the statement explained that unlike Ekpa and his group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) remains a peaceful group committed to the independence of Biafra from Nigeria, stressing that the separatist group had never resorted to violence despite repeated provocations by Nigerian security forces.
“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 said.
Penpushing also reports that Powerful pointed out that Ekpa, since 2021, recruited violent criminals to destabilise South-East Nigeria, adding that he is a self-acclaimed prime minister of the Biafra Government in Exile (BGIE) under which he created the Biafra Liberation Army.
“They (BGIE) have perpetuated various violent acts against the civilian populace of the Eastern Region in the name of Biafra agitation. No person, group, or institution should link Simon Ekpa and his group to IPOB except such person, group, institution, or government is part of the grand plan and conspiracy to perpetually subjugate the Biafran people to a life of servitude and misery’, the statement added
Penpushing reports that the spokesperson contended that the Nigerian government and politicians that contracted Ekpa had been linking his violent crimes to Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to blackmail and demonise the separatist group.
The arrested Ekpa, it is recalled before now often addressed himself as a disciple of Nnamdi Kanu, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, and was a member of Kanu-led group, announced as the Director of the group’s pirate radio channel, Radio Biafra, to replace Kanu after his rearrest and detention by the Nigerian government in 2021.
Penpushing further reports that of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) shortly after Ekpa’s appointment, announced his disengagement due to his alleged refusal to sign rules of engagement in the operation of the radio station.
The of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) broadcasts the ideology of the former breakaway republic, Biafra, through the pirate station, where they usually spew inciting messages and propaganda against the Nigerian government.
Penpushing also reports that Ekpa pained by his removal from the position formed Autopilot, a faction of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and one X post, he claimed that the formation of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB Autopilot was sanctioned by Kanu in 2020 before he (Ekpa) activated it in 2021.
The controversial pro-Biafra agitator explained via an X post, then called Twitter that the kidnapping of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu gave birth to Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and later declared himself as the Prime Minister of the Biafra Government in Exile (BGIE).
Penpushing reports that Ekpa formed the Biafra Liberation Army, an armed militant group linked to attacks and killings in the South-East of Nigeria and has repeatedly claimed responsibility for various attacks and killings in the region.
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