Lead counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, Ifeanyi Ejiofor Esq. KSC, has said that the conviction of Simon Ekpa by a District Court in Finland does not come as a surprise because he had long understood the weight of his infractions, the inherent weakness of his defence, and the inevitable collapse of the fraudulent empire he built on lies, violence and exploitation.

He contended that from the very beginning, when Ekpa launched his treacherous bid to usurp the authority of the Directorate of State, DOS of the IPOB, his agenda was never hidden. He was aided, both openly and discreetly, by individuals and groups whose mission was to derail the genuine struggle for self-determination, sow confusion, and ultimately reduce Ala-Igbo into a theatre of violence, bloodshed, and blackmail.

Reacting to Ekpa?s conviction in a press statement, Ejiofor admitted that at a time, Ekpa and his followers succeeded with their deadly declarations, recklessly amplified across media platforms, were swallowed hook, line, and sinker by vulnerable and misguided elements?.

?His so-called ?foot soldiers?, whenever apprehended, would never mention his name or his ?Biafra Liberation Army, BLA.? Instead, they falsely claimed to be IPOB members, thereby tarnishing the image of a peaceful global movement. This strategic deception provided the Nigerian state with excuses to brutalize innocent and peaceful agitators, and criminalize a globally-recognized peaceful movement.?

On his own public stand and sacrifices, declared: ?Throughout this dangerous era, I raised my voice on every available platform, including mainstream media, warning our people to reject Simon Ekpa and his poisonous preachings. I was attacked, vilified, and branded a saboteur simply because I insisted on speaking the truth.?

?Ekpa built his criminal empire on deceit, harvesting money from gullible followers while fabricating lies about warships, fighter jets, and dates of ?Biafra independence? that never came to pass. My public stance put a target on my back in the hands of Ekpa and his misguided foot soldiers?.

?The irony remains painful: even after each false prophecy failed, some continued to clap for him, pouring in financial contributions, while he lived in comfort abroad and our youths died at home. Educated elites who should have known better sometimes defended him, or worse, remained silent out of fear or complicity.?

?It is important to recall that IPOB?s leadership, under the Directorate of State, repeatedly and vocally condemned Ekpa?s actions, distancing the global peaceful movement from his violence. Yet, he continued to receive covert approval from certain individuals, some of whom today are among the loudest in calling for his head. Their silence at the critical moment remains a betrayal history will never forget?.

Also on the lessons from his conviction, Ejiofor further declared: ?Simon Ekpa?s conviction under a jurisdiction that respects human rights and the rule of law offers deep lessons. It demonstrates that no amount of lies, propaganda, or fraudulent appeals to ?self-determination? can shield a criminal enterprise built on fraud, bloodshed and deception.?

?It is therefore imperative that our people begin to wear their thinking caps and ask hard questions. No rational mind should have believed Ekpa?s outrageous lies about stationed warships and combat-ready jets in Igbo land. His entire project was nothing but an elaborate scam designed to defraud the very people he claimed to liberate?.

?Even now, some of his misguided followers are being deceived into believing that his conviction somehow ?upheld his right to self-determination?. That is false. The court never upheld any such right because his trial and conviction was never about his purported right to self-determination; rather, the court convicted him for fraud, deception, and actions that funded violence against the same people he professed to defend. That is the height of criminality.?

?The chickens have indeed come home to roost. But what about the thousands of lives which have been wasted as a result of Ekpa?s poisonous preachings? Many of his misguided followers languish in detention without trial. Many more were killed extrajudicially. Their parents and families remain in pain?.

?Throughout this era, not one of the lawyers secretly hobnobbing with Ekpa was bold enough to openly defend his followers or seek their release. Instead, the victims of his scam were abandoned while he thrived abroad.?

?Time for a new beginning: It is time for stock-taking. Time to reject criminality, fraud, and blackmail as tools of agitation. Time to rise above emotional manipulation and stand firmly for truth, justice, and peaceful struggle. Ekpa may be convicted today, but the scars of his deceit and the devastation left behind will take years to cleanse from Ala-Igbo.?

?Let the lesson be clear to all: no legitimate struggle for liberation can be built on deceit, fraud, and violence against one?s own people. Those who still glorify Ekpa or tread his path are not freedom fighters, they are merchants of death. The future of Ala-Igbo must never again be left in the hands of impostors who exploit the pain of their people for personal gain?.

?May Chukwu Okike Abiama, whose holy name has been shamelessly invoked by both the righteous and the fraudulent, deliver our land and guide our people into light, wisdom, and peace?. (Vanguard)

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