In a recent press release, the secessionist group Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has made shocking allegations against its factional leader, Mr. Simon Ekpa. According to IPOB’s Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, Ekpa is said to be working in collusion with the Department of State Services (DSS) to undermine and bring down the group.
Powerful claims that Ekpa, who is based in Finland, was trained by the DSS in 2016 and sent into IPOB as a mole. Since the arrest of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu in 2021, Ekpa has taken on the role of leader and even styled himself as the Prime Minister of the Biafra Government in Exile.
Also read: Courtney Hope And Mark Grossman’s On-Screen Romance Sparks Real-Life Speculation
The allegations against Ekpa are serious. He is believed to be behind the civil disobedience orders in the southeast region and has been accused of orchestrating violence against innocent people during the sit-at-home days. While IPOB has repeatedly distanced itself from Ekpa’s actions, he continues to insist that his actions are aimed at securing the speedy release of Kanu.
In the press release, Powerful states, “Ekpa was prior to this period groomed by the Nigerian DSS to usurp the leadership of IPOB in 2016, but that evil plan failed woefully.” He goes on to reveal that Ekpa was previously known as Okwudili, a faceless individual created by the DSS in 2016 to lead IPOB while their original leader was in detention. It is alleged that Ekpa harbored a deep hatred for Ndigbo and IPOB in Finland, a sentiment that IPOB members in the country can attest to.
According to IPOB, Ekpa is a project of the Nigerian DSS, designed to create unrest and hostility in the South East region with the ultimate goal of tarnishing the image of the group. The group questions why the Nigerian government has not taken any steps to address Ekpa’s activities in Finland or engage diplomatically with the Finnish government on the matter. They also raise concerns about the suppression of legal investigations and court cases involving Ekpa in both Finland and Nigeria.
IPOB asserts that if the federal government is genuinely committed to putting an end to Ekpa’s disruptive behavior in the region, they should allow Nnamdi Kanu to address his followers through his social media channels. This, they argue, would demonstrate the government’s seriousness in dealing with the situation.
Also read: Kunal Nayyar’s Journey From First Kiss To On-Screen Romance: A Fishy Encounter With Winnie
Furthermore, IPOB urges its members to disregard Ekpa’s authority and challenges him to issue orders to IPOB members without invoking Kanu’s name, confident that no one would listen to him.
These allegations have sent shockwaves through the IPOB community and beyond. The notion that their factional leader may be collaborating with the DSS to sabotage the group has raised questions about the integrity and motives of those in power. It remains to be seen how the federal government will respond to these serious claims and whether they will take any action to address the concerns raised by IPOB.
As the controversy unfolds, IPOB members and supporters anxiously await the resolution of this matter, hoping for clarity and a peaceful resolution that will allow the group to continue its pursuit of self-determination for the Biafran people.
