The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has distanced itself from the Biafra Government in Exile announced by Simon Ekpa.
IPOB’s spokesman, Emma Powerful, said its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, and the Eastern Security Network, ESN, have no links to Biafra Government in Exile.
In a statement he signed, Powerful said the Biafra Government in Exile was dead on arrival.
The statement by Powerful reads: “The attention of the global family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has been drawn to the nonsensical online inauguration of autopilot group called Biafra Government in Exile and their Liberation Army. These people are double agents sponsored by the Nigerian government to ridicule the IPOB movement, but they have failed on arrival.
“IPOB has consistently disassociated ourselves from the autopilot groups, yet these agent provocateurs keep associating their criminal activities and actions to IPOB, ESN, and Mazi Nnamdi Kanu because they were sent to distract and deter our movement. But we have defeated them and will always defeat them and their sponsors.
“IPOB has passed the stage of blackmail in whatever disguise. Nigeria Government has used every means to blackmail and demonize IPOB globally, including murdering innocent citizens and their own soldiers in Biafra land. But by the grace and wisdom of Chukwu Okike Abiama, we surmounted all their evil blackmail strategies.
“This latest kangaroo Biafra Government in Exile, bankrolled by the Nigeria Government, is dead on arrival.
“We are alerting the International Community, the Nigeria media, and the general public to note that IPOB and Mazi Nnamdi Kanu are not part of these antics and games coming from the Federal Government of Nigeria with the so-called Biafra Government in Exile and their Liberation Army. At no time in this struggle that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu or IPOB leadership lead have they declared Arm struggle, or have they formed a Biafra Army. What IPOB formed and inaugurated was armed vigilantes called Eastern Security Network (ESN).
“The ESN consists of IPOB members who have volunteered to protect our forests and farmlands from murderous Fulani herdsmen who have been killing, maiming, raping our people, and abducting farmers in our farms all over Biafra land. Autopilot has no business with ESN, though they have been using ESN’s name to defraud people.
“Therefore, Autopilot and their so-called Biafra Government in Exile with their Liberation Army are not part of IPOB or ESN, nor do they have any link or association with our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“We are making this public statement so that IEP (GTI), UN, and other interested groups will take note so as not to link IPOB with autopilot and their foolishness. IPOB is wiser than they think.
“IPOB is a peaceful and legally registered organisation in many countries of the world seeking independence from the Nigeria State.
“On the other hand, the so-called Biafra government in Exile are factional members of Autopilot. None of them is an IPOB member. These gangs are people sponsored by the Nigeria government to shop evidence to be used against Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB. That’s why they keep linking themselves and their activities to IPOB and MNK. Therefore, anybody or group linking IPOB with autopilot and their activities should be ready to meet us in the law court.”
Simon Ekpa had on Thursday formed Biafra Government and appointed ministers.
Mr Ekpa on Thursday, April 13, 2023, described himself as the Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government in Exile (BRGIE).
In a letter to the United Nations General Assembly, dated April 13, 2023, which he personally signed, Ekpa urged the global community to recognise Biafra Republic Government in Exile, which he said was established to undertake the political and administrative governance of the ‘Biafra nation’ from outside of ‘Biafra’ territory.
In a letter to the United Nations General Assembly, UNGA, Ekpa who parades himself as “Nnamdi Kanu disciple“, also appealed to the UN to prevail on the government of Nigeria to unconditionally release Nnamdi Kanu and all ‘Biafrans’ held captive in any dungeon in Nigeria, and conduct a peaceful referendum to enable a peaceful and bloodless exit of Biafra from Nigeria.
According to the letter, Ekpa stated that the indigenous people of ‘Biafra’ set up the exile government in their determination to exit the Nigerian state, while enumerating a plethora of reasons why IPOB wants the South-East region to exit from Nigeria.
Simon Ekpa said the Biafra Government in Exile will “undertake diplomatic and foreign relationships, arrangements and agreements, negotiations and pacts with other nations and interest organisations of the world on behalf of Biafra People”.
“They are to be accorded all diplomatic privileges as due to any government official of their respective level. Biafra people, through their government in exile, are sourcing for supports from all nations of the world to assist it exit Nigeria peacefully,” he added.
According to the letter to the United Nations General Assembly, an election was conducted and “Mazi Simon Ekpa was elected as the Prime Minister together with other Biafra Government in Exile officials, namely;
Head of Finance – Mazi Ogechukwu Nkere; Deputy Head of Finance – Hon Lady Azuka Charlesnwankwo;
Defense Minister – Hon. Lady Azuka Charles Nwankwo;
Home Land Liaison – Dr M O & Prof C. O. N; Diplomatic & Foreign Affairs – Dr Sam Agubosim.
Deputy – Prof Anthony Nwannebuike Nwiboko;
Coastal Region Orientation Coordinator -Madam Anirejou Josephine Erewa”.
Others are Group Secretary – Victor Adim/ Dr Ruby Nnadi;
Dept. Of Planning & Strategy – Paul Adinam;
Information/ Media & Communication – Dr. Florence Agie & Mazi Ralph Chiamaka Ajere;
Secretary to World Igbo Union – Madam May Ndirika;
Military – Prof Anthony Nwannebuike Nwiboko/Mazi Solomon Nkwocha;
Ministry of Health – Dr Ngozi Orabueze, Dr Offorma, Dr Sam and Dr Mora;
Education –Dr Ruby Nnadi; Oil & Gas –Dr Ngozi Orabueze & Emma Maduabu; Pharmacy & Laboratory Science, Board of Nursing – Dr Benedict / Dr Florence Agie and
Transport & Logistics – Amobi Eneh.
