Simon Ekpa’s loyalists vow to continue sit-at-home protest in southeast despite arrest

Despite the recent arrest of Simon Ekpa by Finnish authorities, his loyalists have pledged to maintain the controversial Monday sit-at-home protest in the Southeast.

Ngozi Orabueze, a staunch supporter and self-proclaimed Chief of Staff in the Biafra Republic Government in Exile (BRGIE), reaffirmed her backing for the weekly action.

Ekpa, who claims the title of Prime Minister of BRGIE, was detained on charges linked to terrorism and violence. He has been a vocal proponent of the sit-at-home campaign, allegedly in solidarity with the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu. His online platforms have often promoted the violent enforcement of the protests.

Despite Ekpa’s arrest, Orabueze insists that the sit-at-home order should continue. “We are committed to the struggle, and the arrest of our leader will not deter us,” she stated.

The Nigerian government is reportedly seeking Ekpa’s extradition from Finland, where he holds citizenship, to face charges related to his activities. The sit-at-home protests, initially intended as a peaceful form of advocacy, have become a source of controversy due to reports of violence and economic disruption in the region.

In a recent post on X, Orabueze expressed gratitude to the Finnish government for what she described as protecting “our Able Prime Minister, H.E. Simon Ekpa, from the terrorist Nigeria state headed by President Tinubu, Christopher Musa, and Godswill Akpabio.”

She further stated, “As Biafrans all over the world converge in Finland next week for the Biafra Independence Re-Declaration on December 2nd, we wish to inform Biafrans that the Monday Sit-at-home in all Biafraland, voluntarily agreed upon by all Biafrans, must be maintained.”

Orabueze also praised the Biafra Defence Forces for their efforts to “eliminate terrorists wearing Nigeria army and police uniforms in our land.”

She commended Biafrans for raising awareness globally about alleged atrocities committed by the Nigerian government, including what she described as “gross human rights violations, terrorism, forced disappearances of innocent citizens, and the killing of peaceful protesters in Nigeria and Biafraland.”

According to her, Finland had received evidence supporting these claims, which, she said, highlighted violations of international human rights laws by the Nigerian government.