The lead counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has described the conviction of Simon Ekpa by a District Court in Finland as a long-anticipated development, given the gravity of his offenses.
Ejiofor, a human rights lawyer said Ekpa’s conviction is lesson against fraud, violence and misguided statement, warning those who believe in his evil preaching to desist.
He stated, “Simon Ekpa’s conviction in a country that upholds human rights and the rule of law, sends a signal that no amount of lies, propaganda, or fraudulent appeals to “self-determination” can protect a criminal enterprise built on violence, fraud, and deception.
Ejiofor contended that no legitimate struggle for liberation can be founded on deceit, fraud, or violence, especially against one’s own people.
“I have long understood the weight of his infractions, the inherent weakness of his defence, and the inevitable collapse of the fraudulent empire he built on lies, violence, and exploitation.
Those who still glorify Ekpa or follow in his footsteps are not freedom fighters but merchants of death.
“The future of Ala-Igbo must never again be entrusted to impostors who exploit the pain of their people for personal gain,” he declared.
Genuine struggle derailed
The lawyer accused Ekpa’s attempt to usurp the authority of the Directorate of State (DOS) of IPOB was self-serving.
“He was openly and covertly supported by individuals and groups whose sole mission was to derail the genuine quest for self-determination, sow confusion, and turn Ala-Igbo into a theatre of violence, bloodshed, and blackmail.
“For a time, they succeeded. Ekpa’s deadly declarations, recklessly disseminated across media platforms, were embraced hook, line, and sinker by vulnerable and misguided individuals,” Ejiofor said.
He further explained that Ekpa’s so-called “foot soldiers,” whenever arrested, never mentioned his name or that of his fictitious Biafra Liberation Army (BLA). Instead, they falsely claimed to be IPOB members, thereby tarnishing the image of a globally recognized, peaceful movement.
This deception, Ejiofor stated, gave the Nigerian state an excuse to brutalize innocent agitators and criminalize IPOB’s legitimate efforts.
“Throughout this dangerous era, I consistently raised my voice across all available platforms, including mainstream media urging our people to reject Simon Ekpa and his poisonous preachings.
For doing so, I was attacked, vilified, and branded a saboteur simply because I chose to speak the truth,”
“Ekpa built a criminal enterprise on deceit harvesting money from gullible followers, while feeding them fabricated lies about warships, fighter jets, and supposed dates for Biafra’s independence that never came to pass. My public stance put a target on my back, marked by threats from Ekpa and his misled followers.” he said.
Chickens home to roost
Ejiofor decried the irony that even educated elites, who should have known better, either defended him or remained silent out of fear or complicity.
“The chickens have come home to roost. But what about the thousands of lives lost due to Ekpa’s poisonous preachings?
“Many of his misled followers remain in detention without trial. Others were killed extrajudicially. Their families continue to suffer in silence.
Not one of the lawyers who secretly collaborated with Ekpa had the courage to publicly defend these victims or pursue their release.Instead, they abandoned them, while Ekpa thrived abroad,” Ejiofor lamented.
He called for deep reflection and a collective rejection of fraud, blackmail, and criminality as tools of agitation.
“It is time to take stock, reject deceit, emotional manipulation, and false messiahs.
“Time to recommit ourselves to truth, justice, and a peaceful struggle for self-determination.
