Sit-At-Home: How Simon Ekpa is inciting IPOB members to disobey Nnamdi Kanu’s directive

Simon Ekpa, the dismissed radio Biafra anchorman in Finland, appears to be inciting the members of the movement to disobey the instruction given by their detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu

Recall that the separatist group through the Directorate Of State (DOS) had announced that it would enforce a lockdown every Monday — which it tagged ‘Ghost Monday’ — from August 9, in the south-east until Kanu is released.

The sit-at-home order according to the group is to protest the arrest and detention of Kanu.

In June, Kanu was arrested in Kenya and brought to Nigeria. He was re-arraigned on charges bordering on treasonable felony brought against him by the federal government over his campaign for the restoration of Biafra.

The decision of the group to sustain the sit at home exercise has elicited reactions from many stakeholders in the south-east and some said the order would cripple economic activities in the region.

Announcing the cancellation of the sit at home on the 14th of August, the head of Directorate Of State, Chika Edoziem said, “There has been some discussion whether we must continue our ghost town in Biafra land. I wish to announce this very evening that as directed by the highest command of this movement, our Monday ghost town or sit-at-home in Biafra land stands suspended,” he said.

“The weekly sit-at-home in Biafra land stands suspended for now. That means in the coming Monday there would be no sit-at-home in Biafra land.

“We must revert our attention to the trial of our leader that is coming up. Our sit-at-home bearing any new information given to Biafrans all over the world.

“Our sit-at-home will be on each court date, when our leader will be appearing in court. Before then, we will make that information. Our sit-at-home will be taken place in the next court appearance of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”

Meanwhile, since the highest decision making body of IPOB announced the immediate suspension of the sit at home exercise, Simon Ekpa, the dismissed radio Biafra anchorman has refused to follow the directive. He has continued to use his social media platform to disregard and incite IPOB members to sustain the sit at home.

In one of his recent statement on his Facebook page Simon Ekpa said, “I, Simon Ekpa, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s Disciple on Biafra Restoration will sit at home tomorrow 20.9.2021 and next tomorrow 21.9.2021 in civil disobedience and in solidarity with Biafrans back home.

“Join our live broadcast tomorrow for live update on sit at home.

“Time: 7am Biafra

“I will broadcast 3 times tomorrow from my home not from my office.

However, a top source from the movement who spoke with Elombahnews on the condition of anonymity described Simon Ekpa is an illegitimate claimant to power

The source said Ekpa and other disgruntled elements in the group are fighting to usurp the DOS and hijack the movement for their selfish gains.

“Simon Ekpa is an usurper. He has ganged up with other bad eggs to frustrate the DOS and hijack the movement but their plans will fail. IPOB is a formidable group and Ekpa is very small to destroy it.”