Rita Odafe
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has issued a statement in response to the trial of Simon Ekpa, who claims to be the Prime Minister of Biafra.
On Tuesday, the group asserted that neither the British government nor any foreign allies can undermine its cause through Ekpa.
IPOB emphasized that the validity of Biafra’s push for self-determination is not subject to interference from British authorities and their partners.
Emma Powerful, IPOB’s spokesperson, commented on Finland’s decision to schedule Ekpa’s terrorism trial for May 30.
Powerful remarked that the chosen date trivializes the suffering of the Biafran people and attempts to distort historical facts while distracting from the ongoing legal issues faced by their leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
In his statement, Powerful expressed: “Under the guidance of our steadfast leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, we want to notify the world of this latest dishonorable effort from the British establishment, collaborating with their Nigerian puppets, aimed at vilifying and undermining the legitimate Biafra self-determination movement.
“We vehemently disapprove of the Finnish authorities’ decision, clearly influenced by the British Foreign Office, to conduct Simon Ekpa’s trial on May 30th, a sacred occasion for Biafrans commemorating our five million martyrs who lost their lives during the genocide against our people.
“This choice of date is a calculated insult, aimed at ridiculing our suffering, misrepresenting our history, and diverting focus from the unlawful detention and persecution of our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“It is crucial to clarify: Simon Ekpa is NOT affiliated with IPOB. He has been explicitly repudiated by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. In his court appearance in Finland, Ekpa referred to himself as a ‘content creator,’ not a freedom fighter, nor a representative of IPOB, and definitely not a defender of the Biafra cause. Any foreign or Nigerian media attempts to connect his actions to IPOB are deceitful and irresponsible.
“We are aware of who is orchestrating this scenario. It is the same British establishment that oversaw the deaths of five million Biafrans and orchestrated the unlawful abduction and extraordinary rendition of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, in violation of international law. This British government remains alarmingly silent on the continuous atrocities inflicted by Fulani terrorists across Nigeria. If Britain dedicated even a small fraction of effort against IPOB to stopping Fulani violence, Nigeria would not be a battlefield today.
“Britain’s fixation on IPOB and the Biafra cause is not only hypocritical but also perilous. It encourages genocidal actions in Nigeria, exacerbates instability, and complicates the pursuit of a peaceful resolution to Nigeria’s enduring crises. Rather than tackling the root causes of disintegration—widespread poverty, systemic injustice, and ethnic domination—Britain and its Finnish accomplices prefer to scapegoat IPOB, the only peaceful and disciplined mass movement in Africa.
“We emphasize that IPOB is not a terrorist group. We do not resort to violence. Our actions are driven by international law and the recognition of self-determination as articulated in the African Charter and the United Nations Charter. Any attempt to link us with an individual who bears no connection to our movement is a political charade that we will resist.
“As we prepare for Biafra Heroes Day on May 30, 2025, we call on all Biafrans and advocates of freedom worldwide to stay united and focused. Our adversaries seek to provoke us and alter our narrative. They will not succeed. Biafra is a divine mission. Nothing on earth can thwart it.”
