Ngozi Ezeobika Orabueze, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Biafra Government in Exile (BGIE), has reiterated her commitment to the release of Simon Ekpa, the detained Prime Minister of the BGIE, and the pursuit of Biafra’ s independence.
In a Christmas message to the ” people of the Biafran Nation, ” Orabueze highlighted ongoing efforts to achieve the recognition of the United States of Biafra as a sovereign nation.
Simon Ekpa, a controversial figure in the Biafran separatist movement, has been held in detention in Finland following allegations of terrorism and financial misconduct.
In November, a district court in Lahti, Finland, ordered his continued detention, citing suspicions of separatist propaganda linked to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a group advocating for the secession of southeastern Nigeria. The court noted that the charges against Ekpa date back to August 2021, and Finnish authorities have also investigated him for allegedly raising funds through dubious means.
Despite these allegations, Orabueze expressed optimism about Ekpa’ s eventual release. In her Christmas address, she commended the Biafran Defence Forces for their commitment to defending the ” territory of the United States of Biafra” and criticised what she described as ” Nigerian terrorist state actors. ”
” As we celebrate this festive season, I extend my warmest Christmas wishes to every law- abiding Biafran, and especially to the Biafra Defense Forces for their unwavering defence of the territory of the United States of Biafra against the occupying Nigerian terrorist state actors, ” she said.
” Together, we are working tirelessly toward the recognition of our country and preparing for the triumphant return of our able Prime Minister, Ekpa Simon Njoku, ” Orabueze added. ” He leads and will continue to lead us through the final stretch of our journey to realise the dream of the United States of Biafra as an independent, sovereign nation, guided by the principles of justice, fairness, and equity. ”
The Biafran separatist movement has a long and contentious history, dating back to the Nigerian Civil War (1967- 1970), when the southeastern region declared independence as Biafra. The war ended with Biafra’ s reintegration into Nigeria, but calls for independence have persisted, driven by allegations of marginalisation and neglect of the Igbo people.
Simon Ekpa’ s leadership has been a polarising force within the movement, drawing both fervent supporters and sharp critics. His detention in Finland has raised questions about the movement’ s future and the international response to its demands.
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