With the recent arrest and release of the Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa in Finland on Thursday February 23, 2023 by Finland security authorities, new information regarding the secret modus operand of Simon Ekpa gathered through the combo of a six-hour long interrogation and a search of the apartment where he was arrested – have become public.
Loading ...247ureports.com gathered through a source who claims to have firsthand knowledge of the events that transpired in Finland indicates the Finland authorities have information that clearly points to the Simon Ekpa as “unclean”.
It was disclosed Simon Ekpa who took over the realm of spokesman-ship of the Biafra group from Mazi Nnamdi Kanu following the abduction by agents working for the Nigerian group, decided to turn the group into “something else”. He went for the money. He opted for fund raising from all quarters without discrimination.
“Simon Ekpa was raising funds under the guise of seeking for the release of Nnamdi Kanu”, explains a source who claims “it was not true”.
It is worthy to note that prior to the abduction of Nnamdi Kanu, Simon Ekpa worked under the leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu – who was the leader of the Biafra restoration group, the Indigenous Peoples Of Biafra [IPOB]. Simon Ekpa was a disciple of Nnamdi Kanu.
As a disciple, he worked closely with Nnamdi Kanu and was knowledgeable of the finer workings of the group. Nnamdi and Simon were familiar with each other. Nnamdi Kanu was more of an intellectual activist with an idealistic picture of how to materialize the restoration project. Simon Ekpa was more combative and bloodier minded activist whose objective was to grow IPOB, and not necessarily the Biafra restoration agenda. Simon Ekpa loved the attention and the money.
There were numerous disagreements between Simon Ekpa and Mazi Nnamdi Kanu regarding issues of fund raising and other sensitive management decisions. Nnamdi Kanu was cautious about fund raising drives. He was “selective and purpose driven”. But Simon Ekpa was eager to accept funds indiscriminately. His “appetite was voracious”. Simon was “clearly doing in it for the money and fame not for Biafra or anything else”.
However, Nnamdi Kanu had a liking to Simon Ekpa. Probably due his energy and vibrancy which Nnamdi Kanu misread to mean dedication to the cause of Biafra restoration.
The militarisation of IPOB according was the making of Simon Ekpa. He wanted a military force under his command. He claimed he would restore Biafra by force in a face to face military combat with Nigeria. The formation of a military wing would open the flood gates for funds and donations from aggrieved Easterners in Nigeria and across the diaspora – in Simon Ekpa’s calculation.
Nnamdi Kanu was the major obstacle for Simon Ekpa’s plan. Nnamdi Kanu had resisted armed struggle or formation of an armed group.
However, the turn of the dice changed the direction of the IPOB as a result of the reaction on the part of the Nigerian security forces against numerous peaceful unarmed demonstrations and protests by the members of the IPOB in the south east and south geopolitical regions of Nigeria. The peaceful unarmed protests which were met with brutal force that caused the death of thousands of youths was organised by the Nnamdi Kanu led IPOB for the restoration project. The members of IPOB were killed upon mere identification by the Nigerian security outfits – inside school compounds, churches, Market Squares and etc. The killings became indiscriminate, gatherings of young persons in the south east became unsafe and almost a death warrant.
Through this measure, the IPOB leaders followed the turn of the dice – and took their destiny in their hands to defend themselves. It became easy for Simon Ekpa to sell his wish to Nnamdi Kanu.
Nnamdi Kanu’s assassination escape from the Nigerian military attack at Afaraukwu, Umuahia, Abia State sealed the militarisation of IPOB. It took top gear as Nnamdi Kanu resettled outside the shores of Nigeria. The leash around Simon Ekpa’s neck was loosened and the demeanor of the restoration struggle changed.
Following the abduction of Nnamdi Kanu, Simon Ekpa did not hesitate to grab the mantle of leadership and to present IPOB in a more combative manner. He was quick to declare a deadlier form of a sit-at-home order for the entire South East region in protest against the abduction and detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu by the Nigerian government.
He gave instructions for the enforcement of the sit-at-home order. His orders were told to kill and/or destroy to enforce the sit-a-home. Through this action, the funding took an upswing, as anticipated.
Meanwhile, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu remained in the custody of the Nigerian government.
Gradually, through Ekpa’s orders, the south east geopolitical region descended into a war-torn region where police stations and other government owned infrastructures are bombed and attacked almost on daily basis while police officers and other security agents including politicians and government officials are attacked and killed. All under the guise of agitating for Nnamdi Kanu’s release.
Interestingly, Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyers appealed to Simon Ekpa to ease up on the throttle. 247ureports.com gathered Nnamdi Kanu had dispatched messages to Simon Ekpa through his lawyers instructing him to stop the killing. Particularly, Nnamdi Kanu sent a message to Ekpa that “we can’t be killing the people we are supposed to be protecting”. He instructed the killings be stopped.
Simon Ekpa refused.
Security officials believe Simon Ekpa intends to milk the situation in perpetuity “making money and getting the attention he wants as long as Nnamdi Kanu remains in custody”. He has a vested interest in Nnamdi Kanu’s continued stay in detention.
“No intentions of stopping” the cash flow.
