The founder of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, movement Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, is reportedly in a joyous mood over the arrest of a self-acclaimed leader of the group, Simon Ekpa, by the Finnish government earlier in the week.
A source close to the family said “Mazi’s mood was lifted when he heard that Ekpa had been arrested and could be extradited to Nigeria to face trial for his atrocities.”
It was gathered that the IPOB leaders believed that Ekpa’s arrest would help reduce the insurgency in the Southeast and pave the way for a political solution to Kanu’s case.
Meanwhile, IPOB has disowned Ekpa and appealed to government and security officials not to link him with the movement.
IPOB spokesman Emma Powerful said, “We are not interested in his arrest. All we want is the release of our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who has not committed any offence and who has been freed by the law courts.
“We have reiterated on several occasions that the Ekpa had no relationship with the IPOB from the formation to date and he had nothing in common with the Biafra struggle.
“More so, the criminal gang leader in Finland (Ekpa) has no relationship with ESN from the formation of ESN to date or with IPOB. The authorities should stop linking IPOB with Ekpa and his group and IPOB is not interested in his arrest or whatever.”
“All we want is for the Nigerian government to release our leader who has been detained for no known crime other than fighting for the liberation of his people.”
Similarly, the mouthpiece of the IPOB’s Political Wing, Nwachukwu Emereonye, called for Ekpa’s immediate extradition to Nigeria to face the consequences of his actions.
Emereonye blamed Ekpa’s actions for the death of scores of innocent people and the destruction of businesses in the South-East.
“We in the IPOB Political Wing welcome the arrest of Simon Ekpa. His actions are unbecoming. Scores of people have been killed and properties worth billions of Naira destroyed.
“He should be handed over to the Nigerian government for immediate prosecution.”
