Biafra: Crisis hits IPOB over Nnamdi Kanu

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has taken a firm stance against Simon Ekpa and his supporters, disowning him completely and declaring Aloy Ejimakor persona non grata. The movement, under the leadership of Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, refuted the claims made by Ejimakor on Arise Television on July 29, 2023, stating that Ekpa’s supporters were not the same as Kanu’s followers.

IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, clarified in a statement that while some misguided supporters of Ekpa might have previously aligned with Kanu’s movement, the majority of Ekpa’s followers were actually opponents of the IPOB mission. The movement made it clear that Simon Ekpa was never an official member of IPOB and had no alliance whatsoever with Mazi Nnamdi Kanu or the organization.

Ekpa, who leads his own group called Autopilot and has declared himself their Prime Minister, was accused of working against IPOB’s efforts and not attributing the infamous sit-at-home orders to the movement, despite using the pretense of seeking Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s release as his basis.

The statement also refuted Aloy Ejimakor’s claims, asserting that he was contracted to handle specific legal cases for Kanu but did not represent IPOB as a movement and had no authority to speak on its behalf beyond the legal matters assigned to him.

The leadership of IPOB cautioned against any assumption that Ekpa had any connection with Kanu and the movement. They urged individuals and lawyers who engage in negotiations on behalf of IPOB with politicians, businesspeople, and religious leaders to cease such actions, warning that if such activities persist, they will be publicly exposed.