The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, yesterday, appealed to media houses and social media platforms to be appropriately guided in reflecting and referring the activities of Auto-Pilot and Biafra Government in Exile, leader, Simon Ekpa, to IPoB, saying that he is not their member.
The pro-Biafra group in a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary Emma Powerful, expressed displeasure over what it described as deliberate linking and association of Ekpa’s activities by media houses and social media platforms to IPoB, saying he is never a registered member of the pro-Biafra group, just as his activities are not in tandem with that of IPoB.
The separatist movement said that it is mindful of the concerted efforts of the Department of State Services, DSS and similar agencies to infiltrate, undermine and divide IPoB with the sole motive of weakening the organisation from within, but noted that Ekpa is being used by the Nigerian secret police to destroy IPoB by linking his violent and other unlawful activities with IPoB when Ekpa has even told the world that IPoB is not part of the group he leads.
IPoB’s statement read, “ It has become very imperative that we appeal to media houses, social media outfits and platforms to be appropriately guided in reflecting the reality in their publications concerning linking Simon Ekpa’s violent and other unlawful activities to IPoB when he is not our member and has told the world that the groups he leads are Auto Pilot and Biafra government in exile.
“We have observed with dismay the deliberate moves of some media houses and social media platforms to attribute the violent and other activities of Simon Ekpa, to the noble family of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB.
“For clarity and emphasis, Simon Ekpa is not in any way registered with any unit of IPOB, neither is he connected to Eastern Security Network, ESN. We want the public to henceforth desist from further linking and associating Ekpa with IPoB and its activities. He is not our member and we have nothing to do with him. His activities are not and will never be in tandem with those of IPoB.
“We are mindful of the concerted efforts of DSS and similar agencies to infiltrate, undermine and divide IPoB with the sole motive of weakening the organisation from within, but using Ekpa who is not our member and can never be one is one of such failed move by the DSS.“
Associated with efforts to criminalize the social-political space in the South East. Those referring to Ekpa as a factional leader of IPoB are either misguided, ill-informed, or playing the script of DSS who are his main sponsors with the main agenda to destabilize the South East with the use of criminals.
“Ekpa is unknown to ESN. The fact that he has been using the ESN name to deceive gullible people through his endless fundraising schemes, does not in any way link him to ESN formed by IPoB. Ekpa said he leads an inconspicuous group called Auto Pilot and Biafra Government in Exile. He can be seen in most of his social media videos alluding to that very fact and certainly not a member or leader of IPoB.
“It is therefore worrisome that some media houses have persisted in attributing Simon Ekpa to membership of IPoB irrespective of the obvious. We appeal to ladies and gentlemen of the media to please refrain from associating Ekpa as a member of IPoB. because he is not one of us.”
