The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has strongly condemned the recent declaration of the “United States of Biafra” by supporters of Simon Ekpa in Finland, urging its members to disregard the event.
Ekpa, a self-proclaimed leader of the separatist group, was arrested on November 21 by Finnish authorities for allegedly inciting violence in Nigeria.
Ekpa, a dual citizen of Finland and Nigeria, is known for promoting the controversial Monday sit-at-home protests in Nigeria’s South-East, a movement linked to rising violence in the region. His arrest led to some of his supporters organizing a gathering in Finland on Friday, where they declared the formation of the “United States of Biafra.”
However, IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful issued a statement on Sunday, distancing the organization from the event and describing 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 read.
Powerful emphasized that there is no legitimacy to the so-called second declaration, reaffirming that the original Biafra was declared in 1967 by the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, the historical leader of the Biafran cause.
“There is no room for another Biafra declaration besides the one our eternal leader, Dim Odimegwu Ojukwu, declared in 1967,” Powerful added.
The IPOB spokesperson also commended media organizations that ignored the Finland event, calling it a “mockery” of the genuine Biafra struggle. He further clarified that IPOB’s mission is to restore the sovereignty of Biafra, which he claimed was wrongfully taken by the Nigerian and British governments through violence and genocide.
Powerful accused those involved in the Finland declaration of attempting to destabilize the South-East, alleging that they were part of a broader effort to divide the Biafran people and distract from the legitimate fight for Biafra’s independence.
“They failed woefully,” Powerful concluded, urging IPOB members to ignore the “shambolic declaration” and labeling the individuals involved as victims of a scam.
