The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has distanced itself from Finland-based separatist agitator, Simon Ekpa, insisting that he has never been a member of the pro-Biafra movement.
Naija News reported earlier that official court documents obtained by BBC News Pidgin on Monday disclosed that the 40-year-old former municipal politician from Lahti was convicted on multiple charges, including participation in the activities of a terrorist organisation, incitement to commit crimes for terrorist purposes, aggravated tax fraud, and violations of the Lawyers Act.
The court ordered that Ekpa remain in custody.
According to the judgment, between August 2021 and November 2024, Ekpa attempted to promote the independence of the so-called Biafra region in southeastern Nigeria through illegal means.
Reacting to the development, IPOB described attempts to link Ekpa with the organisation as “misleading and false.”
In a statement signed by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, IPOB recalled that Ekpa’s membership status had already been clarified in a Finnish court.
“The record is clear. IPOB, under oath in a Finnish court, testified that Simon Ekpa has never held any position in IPOB or ESN. Ekpa himself, under oath, described himself merely as a content creator and admitted he disowned IPOB,” the statement read.
The group accused Ekpa of creating “parallel groups and initiatives” that have nothing to do with IPOB’s recognised structure.
IPOB Reaffirms Nonviolent Stance
The movement reiterated that it remains a lawful and nonviolent organisation, registered under international law, and committed to pursuing self-determination through peaceful means.
It added that its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, is currently facing trial in Nigeria and urged that his case should not be tainted by unrelated issues involving Ekpa.
IPOB further appealed to global stakeholders, including the European Union, the United Nations, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Finnish government, to ensure that Kanu’s judicial processes are handled fairly and transparently.
“The Finnish court has already clarified that IPOB is not linked to Simon Ekpa, and we expect that this should not be misrepresented,” the statement concluded.
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