Simon Ekpa Calls IPOB Members Criminals; Alleges Assassination Plot

By Adesina Soyooye

Things have fallen apart between  Simon Ekpa, the self-proclaimed disciple of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, and members of IPOB/ Directorate of State, DOS.

The very militant Ekpa who lives in Finland, and shot into limelight in June of 2021 when Kanu was re-arrested in Kenya, has dismissed members of IPOB/DOS as criminals murderers and saboteurs.

He accused them of planning to murder his associates. He said they plan to  do that in connivance with the Nigerian State.

What is the bone of contention?

Ekpa said it is over the sit-at-home policy which the leadership of IPOB had since revised to be observed only on the days Kanu would appear in Court. Before that, it usually held every Monday.

However, under pressure from well-meaning Igbo leaders because of the hardship it imposed on Igboland, Kanu and IPOB’s Directorate of State, restricted it only to  Kanu’s Court appearance days.

Inspite of that, some people, who IPOB described as rogue elements continued to enforce the sit-at-home order, destroying people’s businesses and killing people, atimes.

The sad situation forced IPOB/DOS to issue a warning that it would fish out such people and deal with them.

This position did not sit well with Ekpa. He said IPOB/DOS, plan to assassinate those  peacefully observing the order.  And, he dismisses them in strong words, issuing a threat.

In a tweet, Ekpa said:

“If anything happen to anyone during our peaceful civil disobedience, the criminals @eeal_IpobDOS must be held responsible. They are doing everything with the Nigeria government  to stop our people from embarking on their civil rights which they voluntarily want to do every S&M”

Since Ekpa shot into limelight, he has not had a smooth relationship with the Leadership of IPOB. He first introduced himself as standing in for Kanu. But the record was quickly set straight by the IPOB Leadership, which stated his position in IPOB, and accused him of not adhering to the rules and principles of IPOB.

Since then, he seems to be on his own, working at cross-purposes with IPOB/DOS.

His public dismissal of IPOB/DOS as criminals, murderers and saboteurs seems to be the climax of the disagreement.

Has the resilent IPOB finally broken into two factions? That is the impression Ekpa gives.