The conviction of Simon Ekpa by a Finnish District Court today does not surprise him, according to Ifeanyi Ejiofor Esq. KSC, lead counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, who has long recognised the gravity of his offences, the frailty of his defence, and the impending fall of the fraudulent empire he established on violence, deception, and exploitation.
He argued that Ekpa’s goal was always clear, even as he started his scheming attempt to seize the Directorate of State’s (DOS) power within the IPOB. He received both overt and covert support from people and organisations whose goal was to sabotage the sincere fight for self-determination, create uncertainty, and turn Ala-Igbo into a battlefield of slaughter, violence, and extortion.
In a press release following Ekpa’s conviction, Ejiofor acknowledged that Ekpa and his supporters had at one point been successful with their lethal pronouncements, which were carelessly spread throughout media outlets and were gulped down by unsuspecting and weak people.
When captured, his alleged “foot soldiers” would never refer to him or his “Biafra Liberation Army, BLA.” Rather, they misrepresented themselves as IPOB members, damaging the movement’s reputation as a nonviolent international movement. This calculated lie gave the Nigerian government justifications to criminalise a widely accepted nonviolent movement and brutalise defenceless and peaceful protestors.
Regarding his own public stance and sacrifices, he stated: “During this perilous time, I spoke out against Simon Ekpa and his divisive ideas on all platforms, including the mainstream media. Just for insisting on telling the truth, I was assaulted, demonised, and called a sabotage.
“Ekpa used deceit to build his criminal empire, stealing money from unsuspecting followers and making up stories about fighter jets, warships, and dates of “Biafra independence” that never materialised. Ekpa and his foolish foot soldiers targeted me because of my public position.
The irony still hurts: despite the fact that he lived comfortably overseas and our young people perished at home, some people still applauded him and gave him money after each bogus prophecy failed. Out of fear or collusion, educated elites who ought to have known better occasionally stood up for him or, worse, said nothing.
It is crucial to remember that the Directorate of State, which led IPOB, publicly and frequently denounced Ekpa’s acts, separating the international nonviolent movement from his brutality. However, he still received secret permission from several people, some of whom are now among the most vocal in demanding his head. History will never forget the treason they committed by remaining silent during the crucial moment.
“Simon Ekpa’s conviction under a jurisdiction that respects human rights and the rule of law offers deep lessons,” Ejiofor added while discussing the lessons learnt from his conviction. It proves that a criminal operation founded on deceit, violence, and fraud cannot be protected by any amount of propaganda, lies, or false claims of “self-determination.”
Therefore, it is essential that our people start to ask challenging questions and put on their thinking caps. Ekpa told ludicrous falsehoods about combat-ready jets and warships stationed in Igbo territory that no sane person should have believed. His entire endeavour was nothing more than a complex hoax intended to swindle the very people he professed to be freeing.
Some of his misinformed supporters are still being led astray by the claim that his conviction “upheld his right to self-determination.” That is untrue. Since his prosecution and conviction were never about his alleged right to self-determination, but rather for fraud, deceit, and acts that sponsored violence against the same people he claimed to defend, the court never upheld any such right. That is the pinnacle of criminal activity.
“It’s true that the hens have hatched. However, what about the thousands of lives lost as a result of Ekpa’s divisive sermons? A large number of his misled supporters are held without charge or trial. Numerous others were killed outside of court. Their families and parents continue to suffer.
During this time, none of the attorneys who were covertly collaborating with Ekpa had the courage to publicly defend his supporters or demand their release. Instead, he prospered overseas while leaving his scam victims behind.
“Time for a fresh start: It’s time to take stock. It’s time to stop using fraud, crime, and extortion as means of agitation. It’s time to put truth, justice, and nonviolent struggle ahead of emotional manipulation. Even if Ekpa is found guilty today, it would take years for Ala-Igbo to move past the damage caused by his dishonesty and the destruction he left behind.
“Let everyone understand that lying, cheating, and using violence against one’s own people cannot be the foundation of any real liberation movement. Those who continue to honour Ekpa or follow in his footsteps are not freedom warriors; rather, they are death merchants. Imposters who take advantage of their people’s suffering for their own benefit shall never again control Ala-Igbo’s future.
“May our land be delivered and our people led into light, wisdom, and peace by Chukwu Okike Abiama, whose holy name has been boldly invoked by both the righteous and the dishonest.”
