Ifeanyi Ejiofor, counsel to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has slammed Simon Ekpa, the Finland-based self-acclaimed Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government-in-Exile, describing him as a ‘conman’ and ‘opportunist’ exploiting the vacuum caused by Kanu’s incarceration to pursue his selfish agenda.
He added that Ekpa’s agenda runs contrary to the beliefs of Nnamdi Kanu.
He made this known while speaking in an interview with DAILY POST.
Barrister Ejiofor reiterated that Nnamdi Kanu is not in support of the incessant sit-at-home orders and wanton destruction of people’s livelihood in the Southeast. He also gave an update on Kanu’s case and on other issues.
When told that supporters of sit-at-home have argued that they are using it because they want to consistently remind the government and demand the immediate release of Kanu by the Department of State Services, DSS.
Barrister Ejiofor said, “Their argument is misconceived and holds no water, simple. How can it make sense when Nnamdi Kanu whom you are purportedly sitting-at-home for has given a direct order that you should stop because he doesn’t like that strategy?
However, I want to clarify again that MNK (Mazi Nnamdi Kanu) has totally cancelled sit-at-home. This is because it is a dead strategy. Nnamdi Kanu didn’t start saying this today. This message has been on for almost two years. The first time this sit-at-home was suggested by the DOS, he instructed me to tell them that they should cancel it. He warned that the sit-at-home would make it easy for criminal gangs to take advantage and be causing havoc in our community.
The IPOB leadership were reasonable when I told them MNK’s directive on sit-at-home. They understood the point he was making and consequently proceeded to cancel it. Now when that was done and they announced the cancellation of the sit-at-home in line with the directive of MNK, that was when some people who were scheming for an opportunity to be relevant saw that as an avenue to launch themselves into the limelight. They started dishing out contrary orders that sit-at-home must continue. They came out throwing insults and threats that made gullible people believe they are true, and have the interest of MNK at heart. But unknown to them, the man spearheading the sit-at-home is on a different project. He has his own ideology, plans and agenda which is fundamentally different from whatever you think he’s pursuing.
MNK has consistently relayed messages telling people that they should stop sit-at-home over his case. At one point, he was forced to say something in court where he clearly said he wants Southeast to be calm and peaceful. He explained that the suffering he’s passing through is to liberate the Igbos. He said it clearly, under no duress or at gunpoint. He also went on to send a handwritten note directly to the person anchoring the sit-at-home, telling him that sit-at-home orders and enforcement should not be done for his sake. How can you merge the agenda of MNK that is being detained and subjected to intense physiological trauma so that his people can be liberated, with people that go about kidnapping, killing, and cannibalising innocent people? The answer is that these gangs enforcing sit-at-home are not for MNK’s interest and ideology.
When asked if sit-at-home had any impact on the federal government at all, he replied,
“Sit-at-home has not been effective, and will never make the federal government do anything for MNK. In fact, I can assure you that the government and the DSS are even happy with the hostility going on in the southeast. Because I have reasons to believe that this criminal in Finland ordering sit-at-home, is being armed, supported and funded by the government.
For example, in Imo State today, we have various communities that have been taken over by these criminals. These communities are known to the government but instead of the government deploying forces to go there, they instead go after arresting innocent passersby. I can confirm to you that they are killing and arresting innocent people in the east, and bringing them to Abuja in their 100s.
I have a friend of mine who lost his elder sister, and I called him to confirm when they have fixed the burial. He told me that the in-laws are waiting to get permission from the gangs operating in the community. These criminals are the ones that now tell people the date, time for the burial, the number of guests they should invite, and the time all the guests must leave the community. This is the situation in many parts of Imo and Anambra. And you have governors there who claim to be fighting insecurity.
But now the new directive is that the government should go out to fish out these criminals and deal with them accordingly. As far as I am concerned, sit-at-home has no impact whatsoever in the matter we are having in court.
What we have now are criminals destroying communities in the name of MNK. What that shows is that they have nothing to do with the Biafra struggle. And we have said this countless times that Simon Ekpa is not with IPOB. He is just an opportunist who saw the vacuum created by the temporary exit of MNK as an opportunity to come into the limelight. And his activities of late will show you that he is pursuing his own different agenda. I noticed that he is a conman right from the early days. But many gullible people thought he was working for Nnamdi Kanu until at some point it now became clear to everybody.
Now, everybody can see how he is destroying the Southeast with his sit-at-home orders and enforcement. And I can assure you that 99.9 per cent of the people calling for MNK’s release are doing so because they are convinced that he was not indulging in criminal activities.”
Read the full Interview Here.
