The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has officially distanced itself from Finland-based separatist agitator Mazi Simon Ekpa, stating that he has never been a member of the movement.
Responding to Ekpa’s recent sentencing in Finland on terrorism-related charges, IPOB warned that associating him with the group is misleading and inaccurate.
“The record is clear. IPOB, under oath in a Finnish court, testified that Simon Ekpa has never held any position in IPOB or the Eastern Security Network (ESN). Ekpa himself, also under oath, described himself merely as a content creator and admitted that he disowned IPOB,” the group said in a statement released by its Media and Publicity Secretary.
IPOB emphasized that it remains a nonviolent organization, legally registered under international law and dedicated to lawful self-determination. The statement further clarified that Ekpa has established parallel groups and initiatives which IPOB does not recognize.
The group also drew attention to the ongoing trial of its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, in Nigeria, urging that his case be conducted fairly and in line with international legal standards.
“The Finnish court has already clarified that IPOB is not linked to Simon Ekpa, and we expect this fact not to be misrepresented,” the statement said, calling on the international community—including the European Union, Finland, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the United Nations—to ensure that judicial proceedings involving Kanu remain uninfluenced by unrelated cases.
