Mr. Simon Ekpa, the self-described head of an autopilot Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPoB, separatist group in Lahu, Finland, has drawn criticism from the Igbo community in Finland.
In a statement released by Kingsley Orji, the Igbo community stated: The Igbo people group in Finland gathered a gathering on December 18, 2022, to examine the heightening emergency in Nigenia’s southeast district. Since Mr. Simon Ekpa was at the meeting, we were able to ask him some pertinent questions.
“Mr. Simon Ekpa’s recent five-day enforced sit-at-home order was a prominent topic of discussion. The ruthless and illegally imposed order caused unimaginable economic misery, destruction of lives and property, and significant anxiety among Southeast residents.
“The conversation additionally tended to his progressing, awful affectation that no decisions or political social events will hold in the Southeast international zone of Nigeria. a statement that violates the fundamental right of the people to gather and vote in a significant way.
“The Igbo Community in Finland strongly denounces Mr. Simon Ekpa’s seditious statements and actions, which have taken on a dangerously violent dimension of killing and devastation whenever he issues such directives, despite our respect for the right of individuals to express their thoughts. There is a high level of insecurity in Igboterritory as a result of his threats and the violent actions of his group in South-East Nigeria, making it difficult to travel and conduct business there.
“Subsequent upon the prior, the Igbo People group in Finland is straightforwardly and firmly censuring Mr. Simon Ekpa’s vicious technique for activity and wishes to express our situation as follows:
*That we reject any and all illegal sit-at-home orders and other orders that limit people’s economic activity and day-to-day lives because criminals have used such orders to kill, steal, and destroy Igbo property.
*That we urge Mr. Simon Ekpa to withdraw his undiplomatic campaign slogan that “there will be no election in Biafra land in 2023” and put an end to all efforts to deny Igbos the right to vote and participate in the political process of electing their leaders.
“That Simon Ekpa be strongly cautioned against using social media to spread threats of violence, which is causing the Igbo people of Nigeria to be enraged.
The Igbo community in Finland is urging action in the following ways because “there is no place on the planet where people can simply hide, incite violence, and escape punishment”: that Simon Ekpa be immediately detained, that an investigation be conducted, and that he be subjected to the full wrath of the law in both Nigeria and Finland.
“Based on Belgian law regarding universal jurisdiction, the Finnish authorities should immediately exercise jurisdiction and stop Mr. Simon Ekpa from continuing to incite violence against people and life, any kind of murder, mutilation, cruelty, and violations of the right to life.
The statement went on to say that “that all relevant authorities should deploy all diplomatic channels to ensure that Mr. Simon Ekpa and his group are prevented from causing further damages.”