On Friday, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) called on the Supreme Court to dismiss assertions that Simon Ekpa, a Biafra agitator based in Finland, is affiliated with or leads the group.
IPOB urged the Supreme Court not to yield to blackmail and clarified that Ekpa does not hold any leadership position in the organization in anticipation of the December 15 judgment in the case of Nnamdi Kanu.
Emma Powerful, the spokesperson for IPOB, responded to Chief of Defence Staff Christopher Musa’s statement that Ekpa was undermining the efforts of security forces in the Southeast.
According to a statement by Powerful, “The global family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), ably led by the Supreme leader Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu Kanu wishes to debunk the fallacious statement credited to the Army Chief of Staff that Simon Ekpa is the leader of IPOB.”
Powerful emphasized that IPOB has distanced itself from the activities of Simon Ekpa, describing him as engaging in criminal activities with his group. The statement suggested that the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Police, and Simon Ekpa are collaborating to smear the reputation of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
The statement further argued that the linkage of Simon Ekpa to IPOB leadership and his recent tweet threatening violent evacuation of the Nigerian military in the southeast are part of a coordinated effort to instigate violence in the region. The alleged objective is to use the renewed violence as evidence to influence the Supreme Court Justices against releasing Mazi Nnamdi Kanu on December 15, citing national security interests.
IPOB claimed that the Nigerian security forces and Simon Ekpa share the same goals of renewing violence, killings, and property destruction in the Southeast, and they are attempting to use Ekpa as a double agent to undermine Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s case.
The statement concluded by asserting that Simon Ekpa is not a member of IPOB or the Eastern Security Network (ESN) and is not representing Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB in any capacity. It called on the public to observe how Ekpa might engage in violence shortly after Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s Supreme Court judgment, suggesting a coordinated effort to discredit Kanu and IPOB. The statement also criticized the Nigerian Army for referring to Simon Ekpa as an IPOB leader before the National Assembly, labeling it as ridiculous and degrading.