The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has dissociated itself from Simon Ekpa following his conviction in Finland, warning against attempts to link him to the group or its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
IPOB’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, stressed that Ekpa, who styles himself as leader of the “Biafra Government in Exile,” has no affiliation with IPOB or the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
“The world must know that Simon Ekpa has never held any position in IPOB or ESN. He created his own contraptions, such as the so-called ‘Biafra Government in Exile’ and ‘Biafra Liberation Army,’ which IPOB has long repudiated,” the spokesman said in a statement.
The group accused Nigerian authorities of exploiting Ekpa’s case to influence the outcome of Kanu’s no-case submission scheduled for October 10, 2025, describing the prolonged ruling as “judicial hostage-taking.”
IPOB appealed to the European Union, Finland, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the United Nations to intervene, reiterating that its struggle for self-determination remains peaceful and rooted in international law.
On Monday, the Päijät-Häme District Court in Finland sentenced Ekpa to six years in prison for terrorism-related offences, aggravated tax fraud, and violations of the Lawyers Act.
The court also ordered that he remains in custody.