2023: Nnamdi Kanu, Simon Ekpa battle for soul of IPOB

There is now no denial that there is a huge crack in the leadership of the secessionist group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Track News reports that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the founder and leader of the group and his followers have openly declared a battle against Simon Ekpa, a Finland-based former soldier, who is said to hail from Ebonyi State, with the aim of wresting the group from him.

Also, there have been allegations that the violence being experienced in the South-East States is orchestrated by Ekpa and members of his group.

Simon Ekpa, a former ally of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, came into limelight about three years ago. Before then, the ex-Finnish soldier has been identified as an athlete, who won a few laurels for Nigeria, before migrating overseas.

His identification with Kanu, however, gave him the recognition he sought. Using the name of IPOB and Kanu, Ekpa constantly described himself in broadcast messages as an unapologetic disciple of Nnamdi Kanu. Those who know Ekpa said he supported Kanu to the point of becoming a trusted ally of his, and even held separate broadcast messages, away from Kanu’s own.

However, the arrest of Kanu in Kenya last year proved a turning point for Ekpa, who started assuming leadership, even to the point of calling for fundraising, and seeking to control the military wing of IPOB, known as Eastern Security Network (ESN). Attempts by the Directorate of State (DOS) of IPOB, which was running the group in the absence of Kanu to stop him, yielded no fruits.

Ekpa rebuffed DOS, claiming that IPOB was on Autopilot, and not controlled by anyone, and as such, he would not submit to DOS. A source who claimed to be a member of IPOB, and who begged not to be named disclosed to Track News that before Kanu’s arrest, Ekpa had worked closely with Kanu, even in the formation of the ESN.

“He knows a lot of things about the workings of IPOB. He was close to Kanu, and no one will even agree that at some point he will become rebellious to the same Kanu, who he described then as the supreme leader, and to whom he arrogated to himself his discipleship.

“I think he is just a greedy character, because even before the arrest of Kanu, he has once attempted to raise funds through our brothers living overseas. But it was after the arrest of Kanu that he came out full, to show himself.

“Several attempts by Kanu, even from prison, to try to clip his wings have failed. From making broadcasts, he built a crop of radical individuals for himself, and they referred to themselves as the autopilot group. Most of his boys working as armed men, are breakaway boys of Kanu’s ESN, who Ekpa recruited and have been using for nefarious purposes,” he said.

The source stated that at the heat of insecurity in Anambra State, before the State governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo dislodged them, Ekpa maintained a camp in a part of Ihiala, and his boys were among those who were collecting money from people before any ceremony could be held.

Our source continued: “You know the notorious bandit called Double Lion, who was killed early this year in Ihiala? He and many other boys were working for Ekpa. IPOB also has its own boys, they work as security to any area they find themselves in. Their only problem was that, in any town they establish themselves, they will not want to see police in that town. They were friendly to locals, but Ekpa’s boys rather terrorise locals.

“You will remember that Anambra became a little cooler after Double Lion was killed. It may also interest you to know that Double Lion and his men were not killed by police or federal forces, they were killed by a special squad from ESN, who felt that Ekpa and his boys were giving them a bad name. Ekpa and Kanu’s faction of IPOB have been at a loggerhead for some time now, but they are trying to keep it under wraps