IPOB Disowns Convicted Agitator Sam Ekpa, Calls His Conviction a Smokescreen

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has formally denounced Finland-based agitator Simon Ekpa after he was sentenced to six years in prison for terrorism-related crimes.

In a statement released Monday, IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary clarified that Ekpa has never been affiliated with the group or its security wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN). The organization pointed to sworn testimony from a Finnish court, where IPOB confirmed Ekpa’s non-membership and where Ekpa himself reportedly identified only as a “content creator” who disowned the movement.

Reiterating its commitment to non-violence, IPOB condemned all terrorist acts and armed struggles falsely conducted in its name.

The group raised alarms that Ekpa’s conviction is being misrepresented to undermine the legal case for its detained leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. IPOB accused the Nigerian government of using the situation as a “judicial hostage-taking” tactic to delay a ruling on Kanu’s no-case submission, which has been postponed until October 2025.

Furthermore, IPOB alleged that Ekpa is the creator of unauthorized entities like the “Biafra Government in Exile,” the “Biafra Liberation Army (BLA),” and the “Biafra Defence Force (BDF),” all of which IPOB has publicly rejected.

The group called on the international community, specifically the European Union, Finland, the United States, and the United Kingdom, to prevent Kanu’s trial from being tainted by false associations with Ekpa. It urged the Finnish government to issue a clear statement confirming that the court exonerated IPOB from any link to Ekpa.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled: Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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