HELSINKI, Finland – Simon Ekpa, the self-proclaimed Prime Minister of Biafra, has emphatically rejected a letter supposedly written to him by Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.
The letter, read publicly by Kanu’s lawyer Aloy Ejimakor, urged Ekpa to halt actions against South-East Governors and stop the Monday sit-at-home orders.
In a defiant response posted on Twitter on Friday, July 28, 2023, the Finland-based Ekpa described the letter as a “fake” and an “insult taken too far,” insisting that the two-week sit-at-home order must continue.
The letter attributed to Kanu had directed Ekpa to cease his campaign against the South-East Governors, emphasizing that he had no right to impose the sit-at-home order.
“Our attention has been drawn to the fake letter from the pit of hell being paraded by the Nigerian media claiming that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu wrote a letter,” Ekpa stated on Twitter. “It is not only a joke but an insult taking too far that the leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra is being misrepresented in this way.”
He further declared that he would only believe the letter’s authenticity if Kanu is released by the Department of the State Service, DSS, and speaks to Biafrans from Finland.
Ekpa suggested that the IPOB leader could not have penned such a letter, insisting that Kanu was misrepresented.
The ongoing tension between Ekpa and other IPOB leaders has added to the complexity of the Biafra movement, which has seen a resurgence in recent years.
The situation continues to be closely monitored by political observers, both within Nigeria and internationally, as Ekpa’s refusal to acknowledge the letter sets the stage for potential internal conflicts within the movement.
From Behind Bars: IPOB Leader Nnamdi Kanu Pleads for End to Sit-at-Home Protests
Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has ordered an end to all sit-at-home protests in Nigeria’s Southeast region.
He also directed his followers to stop antagonising local politicians, including the region’s governors.
The directive was publicised by Kanu’s Special Counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, in a press briefing in Enugu on Friday, July 28, 2023.
Kanu’s message to Finland-based Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa, read: “Simon, this is a direct order from me. I hereby instruct you to desist from calling for any sit-at-home henceforth. Equally, refrain from antagonising governors or persons in political positions because you are not in a position to know what they are doing on my behalf.”
The IPOB leader further emphasized the significance of his instructions, stating, “I am ordering you to make a public announcement to the effect that you receive a direct order from me to cancel any pending sit-at-home in place at the moment.”
Kanu’s unexpected announcement appears to mark a pivotal change in the IPOB’s strategies.
In recent years, the group’s calls for sit-at-home protests have led to widespread civil disobedience, which in turn has sparked tension with law enforcement and political leaders.
Addressing the controversy, Kanu clarified his vision for the Biafra movement: “I embarked on this movement to liberate our people, not to enslave them. I despise and will despise any person or entity that wishes to inflict unnecessary hardship on our people.”
He warned against the misappropriation of his name in enforcing the sit-at-home protests, stating, “Anybody still engaging in sit-at-home is not my disciple. Haters of Biafra and mindless murderers in uniform are hiding under cover of combating enforcers of Sit-at-Home to unleash mayhem against the same people we swore to defend.”
Kanu’s message has raised hopes of a more peaceful relationship between IPOB and the region’s leadership, while also raising questions about the future tactics of the pro-Biafra movement.
