November 25, 2024
By Samuel Ogunsona
The recent arrest of Simon Ekpa, the self-proclaimed Prime Minister of Biafra in Exile, has raised mixed reactions from Igbo elders and leaders.
While some have welcomed the arrest, others believe it is not enough to address the lingering insecurity issues in the South-East region of Nigeria.
According to Igbo elders, the arrest of Ekpa will not make a significant difference in reducing insecurity in the region unless Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), is released from detention.
They propose that releasing Kanu, bringing Ekpa back to Nigeria, and prosecuting him for his alleged role in masterminding killings in the region would be a more effective solution to addressing the insecurity challenges.
A businessman in Awka, Mr. Kingsley Okanume, expressed happiness with Ekpa’s arrest, stating that he had been a major cause of insecurity in the South-East through his inciting statements.
Similarly, the Catholic Bishop of Nnewi Diocese, Rt. Rev. Jonas Benson Okoye, urged the Finnish government to sustain its stronghold on Ekpa, describing him as a rascal.
Bishop Okoye wondered why Ekpa, whose village in Ebonyi State does not observe the sit-at-home order on Mondays, has been forcing other parts of Igbo land to sit at home.
He also lamented that Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State has been under pressure to ensure that lives and property are protected in the state.
He said: “These people say that they want Biafra Republic and I wonder why they kill and kidnap their brothers and sisters in the name of the same Biafra.
“You undertake gorilla warfare, destroy the economy of Igboland. For those in government, I want you all to sustain what is happening in Finland, we like it.
“I want to plead with all the senators here that our governor has suffered and has been under pressure to ensure that lives and property of the people are secured.”
Nze Bartholomew Akaolisa noted that Nnamdi Kanu brought Eastern Security Network, ESN, to protect Igbo against killer Fulani herdsmen, not to be killing our brothers, “but this evil-minded man known as Simon Ekpa, brought unknown gunmen and we have not known his mission.”
Akaolisa said: “ Simon Ekpa should be brought to Nigeria and paraded in all the major towns in the South East so people can know the man who has been causing mayhem for many years. After parading him, he should be prosecuted and made to face the full weight of the law.”
While some see Ekpa’s arrest as a positive step, others believe that a more comprehensive approach is needed to address the underlying issues driving the insecurity.
