There is now no denying that the leadership of the secessionist Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is severely compromised.
According to the Daily Post, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the group’s founder and leader, and his followers have openly declared a battle against Simon Ekpa, a former soldier from Ebonyi State who is based in Finland and wants to take the group from him.
Additionally, it has been alleged that Ekpa and members of his group orchestrate the violence in the South-East States.
About three years ago, Simon Ekpa, a former ally of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, came to attention. Before then, the ex-Finnish soldier was known as an athlete who competed for Nigeria and won a few medals before moving abroad.
However, the recognition he sought came from his association with Kanu. In broadcast messages, Ekpa frequently referred to himself as an uncompromising disciple of Nnamdi Kanu, using the names IPOB and Kanu. According to those who were familiar with Ekpa, he supported Kanu to the point where he became a trusted ally of his and even sent separate broadcast messages from Kanu’s.
Ekpa, on the other hand, began to assume leadership after Kanu was arrested in Kenya last year. He even called for fundraising and sought to control the military wing of IPOB known as the Eastern Security Network (ESN). In the absence of Kanu, the IPOB Directorate of State (DOS), which was in charge of the group, made no efforts to stop him.
Ekpa rejected DOS, claiming that he would not submit to DOS because IPOB was operating on autopilot and was not controlled by anyone. According to a source who requested anonymity but claimed to be a member of IPOB, Ekpa had collaborated closely with Kanu prior to his arrest, even in the formation of the ESN.
He has extensive knowledge of IPOB’s workings. He was close to Kanu, and no one can even agree that he will eventually rebel against the same Kanu, whom he regarded at the time as the supreme leader and delegated his discipleship to.
“Even prior to Kanu’s arrest, he attempted to raise funds through our overseas brothers, so I think he is just a greedy person. However, it was after the capture of Kanu that he came out full, to show himself.
“Kanu has attempted to clip his wings multiple times, even from prison. From making communicates, he fabricated a yield of revolutionary people for himself, and they alluded to themselves as the autopilot bunch. “Ekpa recruited and has been using for nefarious purposes the majority of his boys working as armed men, who are breakaway boys of Kanu’s ESN,” he stated.
According to the source, prior to the governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, dislodging them, Ekpa maintained a camp in a section of Ihiala, and his boys were among those collecting money from individuals before any ceremony could take place.
Our source went on to say: Do you know Double Lion, a notorious criminal who was killed in Ihiala earlier this year? He and numerous other boys were employed by Ekpa. Additionally, IPOB has its own boys who serve as security guards in any area they enter. Their only issue was that they would not like to see police in any town where they established themselves. Although they were friendly to the locals, Ekpa’s boys actually terrorized the locals.
You will recall that Double Lion’s death caused Anambra to become somewhat cooler. You might also find it interesting to know that Double Lion and his men were not killed by federal or police forces; rather, they were killed by a special ESN squad who believed that Ekpa and his boys were giving them a bad name. The IPOB factions of Ekpa and Kanu have been at odds for some time, but they are trying to keep it quiet.
Ekpa declared a five-day sit-at-home in the five South-eastern States last week, speaking from Finland. Ekpa stated that December 9, 10, 11, 12, and 14 have been designated as sit-at-home days in an interview on the internet show Have Your Say, which is hosted by Rudolf Okonkwo, a journalist based in the United States. No explanation was provided for the announcement. Anyone who dared to come out would be dealt with, he threatened. He also said that the group only cared about restoring Biafra and that it might interfere with the election in the southeast in 2023.
Even though many towns in the southeast carried out their normal activities on the first day of the sit-at-home, there were instances of violence in the days that followed, particularly in Enugu and Imo States, suggesting that Ekpa and his men may have decided to make their threat a reality.
Mr. Emma Powerful, IPOB’s spokesperson, had urged people to ignore Ekpa and carry on with their legal activities.
He stated, ” Because we are not criminals, stupid, or unemployed, IPOB has never issued a sit-at-home order on the aforementioned days.
“IPOB, which is concerned about our people, cannot issue such a naive and careless five-day sit-at-home order to suffer our people during this crucial time of year when people are trying to make up in their businesses for the year.”
Powerful disregarded the plan to disrupt the 2023 election, stating: Again, everyone has the right to go to their pooling and registration center and get their PVC without being abused. IPOB has nothing to do with the shoddy elections in Nigeria and has never boycotted elections. Our people ought to be prepared to confront any fool who dares to implement such evil sit-at-home policies. In addition, volunteers from IPOB and the ESN will be present on these dates to safeguard our people and the markets.
According to reports, Kanu, who is still being held in an Abuja DSS detention facility, instructed his attorney to immediately contact Emma Powerful and the Directorate of State to issue a press release canceling the sit-at-home.
According to reports, Kanu wept over the orgy of killing in Igbo land and blamed those he claimed to be Igbos who had long since abandoned their consciences and were determined to destroy Igbo land. Even though Kanu didn’t mention Ekpa, he said that the people who killed him were doing so to prevent the federal government from releasing him because they were using the IPOB name to spread crime.
Mr. Paul Ebe, a public affairs analyst, stated in an interview with Daily Post that Kanu was solely to blame for the killings in the South-East.
He stated, ” For what reason would he say he is crying fake tears today? Is it because he is getting help with something he would have loved to do on his own?
He initiated the entire orgy of murder. Could we have forgotten that he used to talk on radio Biafra and tell his people to kill security guards, whom he called “zoo security,” back in the day? He is here weeping like a crocodile because the fruit of the seed he planted has begun. In light of what he is going through, I have no sympathy for him.
However, the Daily Post has learned that Kanu’s attorney, Barr Nnaemeka Ejiofor, has begun the process of filing a lawsuit against Ekpa for his IPOB-related criminal activities in the Southeast.
There are claims that a presidential candidate who was attempting to reduce the influence of a South-eastern candidate running for the presidency of Nigeria is sponsoring Ekpa. Many people in the South-East, where the presidential candidate has a lot of support, may decide not to vote if there is violence.
As of the time this report was written, many members of the IPOB faction led by Kanu have declared “war” on Ekpa, reported his social media accounts, and suspended some of them.