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By Olakunle Olafioye
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has denied a claim linking the group and its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, to Simon Ekpa who was convicted recently in Finland over terrorism-related offences in Nigeria.
The group’s reaction, according to a statement released by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, followed a publication credited to Associate Press, which reportedly linked Ekpa to the group and its leader.
The statement described the alleged link between IPOB and Ekpa as reported by AP as a deliberate distortion coordinated worldwide to demonise IPOB.
The statement read in part: “The attention of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has been drawn to yet another vile and malicious publication, this time from the Associated Press (AP), deliberately seeking to manipulate global perception by falsely linking IPOB and our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, to the recent conviction of Simon Ekpa in Finland.
“This deliberate distortion is part of the coordinated worldwide campaign spearheaded by the United Kingdom in aid of Nigeria to demonise IPOB, launder the battered image of a genocidal Nigerian state, and condition the international community to ignore the ongoing judicial fraud in Abuja against Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”
The group claimed it had repeatedly disowned Ekpa both in Nigeria and in foreign jurisdiction, saying the latest move to link the convict with IPOB was a calculated attempt to influence the judge presiding over Kanu’s matter.
The statement read in part: “Let the record be set straight: Simon Ekpa is not, and has never been, a member or leader of IPOB. This fact is not speculative and should sink into the skull of these merchants of falsehood; it is on court record. IPOB, through due legal process, has repeatedly disowned Simon Ekpa in Nigerian courts and in foreign jurisdictions. Any attempt to force a link between IPOB and his personal actions in order to influence Hon. Justice James Omotosho come 10th of October, is wicked, dishonest, and mischievous.
“Finnish court records speak for themselves. The conviction of Simon Ekpa is personal to him and does not, in any way, implicate IPOB because he formed his own organisation called Autopilot Government In Exile. Yet, desperate media outlets like AP deliberately twist facts to suit their sponsors’ narrative. The dishonesty is transparent to anyone who bothers to check official records.
“Global media and tech giants are on trial too. If international media and platforms continue to employ or rely on Nigerians, who by nature of Nigeria’s broken system are corrupt and amenable to bribes, to file reports about IPOB, then the world should expect fraudulent interpretations of the truth. These compromised voices are not reporting; rather they are laundering Nigeria’s lies for quick cash.
“The narrative engineering is clear. Just as Wikipedia was manipulated in June 2021 to pave the way for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s abduction in Kenya, we are again witnessing a fresh round of media disinformation, timed to coincide with the critical stage of Kanu’s trial before Justice James Omotosho in Abuja. This is not journalism. It is psychological warfare.
“The public should therefore be on high alert. The ongoing effort to stain the squeaky-clean image of IPOB is not about facts. It is about silencing a lawful self-determination struggle and sustaining Nigeria’s military occupation of Biafra land.
“We call on responsible journalists and media houses worldwide to resist being used as instruments of imperial disinformation. IPOB will continue to expose these merchants of lies and defend our movement with truth and evidence.”
