By Joe Chukindi
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a secessionist group agitating for an independent state of Biafra has called out a co-agitator, Mr Simon Ekpa, saying he is not a member of their group.
Ekpa, a former IPOB member, and self-styled apostle of the leader of IPOB, Mr Nnamdi Kanu has been at loggerhead with the group for a long time since after the arrest of Kanu in 2021 in Kenya.
Ekpa had upon the arrest of Kanu quickly assumed leadership of IPOB, and also making broadcast on the group’s media channel, Radio Biafra, but he was stoped.
Though he was also reported to have been expelled, but Ekpa has insistently used the name of Kanu and the agitation for his freedom to cause chaos in the south east.
In a press release on Thursday, IPOB’s media and publicity secretary, Mr Emma Powerful disclaimed Ekpa, while calling on the media to stop associating IPOB with him.
Powerful said Ekpa had long founded an inconspicuous group called Biafra Government in Exile, where he branded himself the prime minister.
“It is therefore, imperative that media houses are appropriately guided to reflect this reality in their publications, henceforth.
“We are mindful of the concerted efforts of DSS and similar agencies to infiltrate, undermine and divide IPOB with the sole motive of weakening the organisation from within.
“IPOB is not divided, has no factional leadership or involved in any entity associated with efforts to criminalize the social-political space in the South East.
“Those referring to the said Ekpa as a factional leader of IPOB are either misguided, ill informed or playing the script of DSS who are his (Ekpa’s) main sponsors with main agenda to destabilize the South East with the use of criminals.
“Ekpa is unknown to ESN. The fact that he has been using ESN name to dupe gullible people through his endless fund raising schemes, does not in anyway link him to ESN formed by IPOB.
“Ekpa has an inconspicuous group called government in Exile. He can be seen in most of his social media videos alluding to this very facts. It is therefore worrying that some media houses have persisted in attributing membership of IPOB to Simon Ekpa irrespective of the obvious.
“We appeal to ladies and gentlemen of the media to please refrain from associating Ekpa as a member of IPOB because he is not,” Powerful begged.
