The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has called for calm among its supporters following the arrest of Simon Ekpa, the self-proclaimed “Prime Minister” of Biafra. On Friday, IPOB reiterated its commitment to pursuing a peaceful path to the creation of a sovereign Biafra state and distanced itself from Ekpa’s activities, labeling them violent and divisive.
Emma Powerful, the spokesperson for IPOB, condemned Ekpa’s actions, asserting that he is not affiliated with the organization. “Simon Ekpa has never been a member of the global IPOB family movement,” Powerful said in a statement. “Contrary to the deliberate and malicious misinformation… Simon Ekpa was never and is not an IPOB member, let alone being a leader in IPOB.”
IPOB criticized Ekpa for allegedly recruiting violent groups that have been destabilizing the South East region since 2021. “He is a self-acclaimed prime minister of a small, criminally minded group called the Biafra Government in Exile (BGIE),” Powerful added, accusing Ekpa of leading a faction that has committed violent acts under the guise of Biafran agitation.
Powerful emphasized IPOB’s peaceful foundation, noting that its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, established the group to pursue Biafra independence through diplomatic means. “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,” he said.
The spokesman expressed disappointment that some individuals were misled by Ekpa’s actions, which he described as a betrayal of the Biafran cause. “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,” he said. “Sadly, they had to learn the hard way that he was a destructive agent paid to infiltrate and destroy the IPOB peaceful movement.”
IPOB urged its members to stay focused on their peaceful mission despite provocations. “On the purported arrest of Simon Ekpa, all IPOB members, Biafrans, and lovers of Biafra freedom should remain calm and focused on our core objective which is the restoration of the sovereign state of Biafra,” Powerful concluded. “For every crime, there is a day of reckoning.”
