The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has distanced itself from Simon Ekpa’s supporters over the declaration of the United States of Biafra in Finland.
Ekpa is a self-proclaimed leader of the separatist group.
Recall that on November 21, Ekpa was arrested by law enforcement in Finland and sent to prison for allegedly inciting terror in Nigeria.
Ekpa is a promoter of the Monday sit-at-home in the south-east.
A citizen of Finland and Nigeria, Ekpa’s activities, especially on social media, are said to be fueling the violence in the geopolitical zone.
Following his arrest and committal to prison, some of Ekpa’s supporters converged in Finland on Friday to declare the United States of Biafra declaration.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Emma Powerful, IPOB spokesperson, described the declaration as a scam.
“The Noble family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) led by the great and indomitable leader, Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu Kanu, wishes to disassociate ourselves from the purported Biafra second declaration by an infamous no-name group,” the statement reads.
“The so-called declaration is a scam. There is no room for another Biafra declaration besides the one our eternal leader, Dim Odimegwu Ojukwu, declared in 1967.
“IPOB wishes to commend responsible media organizations and social media bloggers in Nigeria and in the diaspora that didn’t give attention to the mockery of the Biafra struggle by infiltrators in Finland and elsewhere.
“However, it is imperative to inform the international community, Biafrans, friends of Biafra, and lovers of Biafra freedom that Biafra has been declared by our eternal leader late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu in 1967.
“What IPOB is doing is to restore the sovereignty of the declared Biafra Independence that was forced to surrender through genocide by the Nigerian and British governments.
“It is sad that some unscrupulous elements who failed in the mission to infiltrate and destroy IPOB went into the jamboree they claimed was Biafra’s second declaration outside the Biafra territory.
“Biafrans and IPOB, in particular, are happy that the fanfare the infiltrators had in Finland this weekend was ignored by all responsible media organizations.”
Powerful claimed that those involved in the event are “among the sponsors of insecurity” in the south-east.
He alleged that they aim to “destabilize the south-east, divide the people, and divert the attention of Biafrans and those sympathetic to the Biafra struggle by making the genuine Biafra struggle unattractive to our people”.
“They failed woefully,” Powerful said.
Powerful asked IPOB members to disregard the “shambolic declaration”, adding that those at the event were scammed.
The Cable
