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IPOB Disowns Simon Ekpa Due to His Arrest And Calls for Focus on Biafra Struggle
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have urged their members to stay focused on their mission to achieve an independent Biafran state and remain calm amidst the arrest of Simon Ekpa, who describes himself as the Prime Minister of Biafra in Exile.
In a strong condemnation of Ekpa’s actions, IPOB emphasized that every crime has its consequences.
Emma Powerful, the group’s spokesperson, clarified that Simon Ekpa is not, and has never been, a member of IPOB. He accused Ekpa of using violence to destabilize the South-East region since 2021.
In a detailed statement, Powerful said, “Simon Ekpa has no affiliation with the global IPOB family or its leadership.
Despite false narratives claiming otherwise, he has never been registered as a member in Finland or any other part of the world.”
Powerful reiterated that IPOB, under the leadership of Nnamdi Kanu, has consistently pursued a peaceful path toward achieving Biafra’s independence.
“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu founded IPOB as a non-violent movement dedicated to self-determination through a United Nations-supervised referendum.
Despite repeated provocations and violent crackdowns by the Nigerian government, we have remained steadfast in our peaceful approach for over two decades,” he explained.
Ekpa, however, has been accused of exploiting the Biafran cause for personal gain.
“Many innocent Biafrans, driven by their passion for the Biafran struggle, initially believed in Simon Ekpa’s rhetoric.
Unfortunately, they later realized he was a destructive force, funded to undermine IPOB’s efforts.
He has recruited violent criminals under the guise of fighting for Biafra and formed the so-called Biafra Liberation Army, which has carried out atrocities in the Eastern region,” Powerful added.
Ekpa, who leads the self-proclaimed Biafra Government in Exile (BGIE), has been linked to violent activities that have harmed civilians.
Powerful accused both the Nigerian and Finnish governments of protecting Ekpa from accountability for his alleged crimes. Despite this, IPOB expressed confidence that justice would prevail.
The statement ended with a call for unity and focus: “We urge all IPOB members, Biafrans, and supporters of our cause to remain calm.
Our objective remains the same—to restore Biafra’s sovereignty through peaceful means.
No amount of sabotage can deter us from this goal.”
TV anchor Rufai Oseni makes headlines as he speaks on fuel subsidy in Nigeria. He shared that Nigeria can have fuel subsidy without the long queues at filling stations.
“When we were still paying subsidies, there were no long queues. We were subsidising. So you can still have a subsidy regime going on, and there will be no long queues because production was close by. Dangote had it. That’s just it. That argument also falls flat.
“The biggest beneficiaries of subsidy are not Nigerians. They are crony capitalists that have big infrastructure, and they do contracts. They have been the biggest beneficiaries of the subsidy,” he said.
Lagos State Governor, Sanwo-Olu, speaks to those in the electricity sector about the usual blackouts in the state.
He speaks on ways things can change in the state and how electricity can be provided.
“We need to drop corporate egos, abandon long-standing excuses, and confront the harsh realities obstructing progress in the power sector.”
“We, state governments, used to give excuses that everything is centralised, so the Federal Government has unbundled it now. What have we done in a year and a half?” Sanwo-Olu asked.
“We take two steps forward, we go five steps backward,” he said.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has declared Thursday, August 20, a work-free day for public servants in the state to mark the Isese Festival.
Speaking on the celebration, he said “Ìṣẹ̀ṣe is not a relic. It is a living expression of our traditions and a celebration of Yoruba spirituality as an important part of Nigeria’s cultural and religious landscape,” he said.
He added “When the drums sound in Lagos on Thursday, they answer drums in Havana, in Salvador, in Port of Spain. Fifty-five million people and counting. Lagos is not observing a local holiday. Lagos is standing at the centre of a global heritage,” Aregbe said.
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