Nnamdi Kanu accuses federal government of funding Simon Ekpa in a bid to destabilise southeast

INDIGENOUS People of Biafra (Ipob) leader Nnamdi Kanu has accused the Nigerian government of bankrolling the activities of Finland-based Biafra agitator Simon Ekpa as part of a grand plan to destabilise the southeast geo-political zone.

Mr Ekpa, had assumed the leadership of Ipob following the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu and has since been at loggerheads with numerous Igbo organisations back in Nigeria. On July 3 for instance, he announced a one week sit-at-home commencing from despite the mainstream leadership of Ipob suspending the exercise after several groups, individuals and state governments condemned the action due to its economic implications.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo has accused Mr Ekpa of declaring a second Biafra war in the southeast and increased the bounty on his head to $500,000 from the $50,000 which it placed on him in January this year. Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo secretary-general, expressed the organisation's  resolve to capture Mr Ekpa and bring him to justice for his crimes against the southeast.

However, Mr Ekpa's calls have been very popular across the southeast and as such they have been ruthlessly enforced by the Eastern Security Network, Ipob's armed wing. With the development diving opinion, Mr Kanu appears to have finally waded in and asked Mr Ekpa to stand down.

Last week, Mr Kanu directed Mr Ekpa to stop antagonising the five governors from across the southeast and warned that anyone enforcing sit-at-home in the southeast is not his disciple and should be made to face the wrath of the law. Aloy Ejimakor, Mr Kanu's lawyer, announced the directive, quoting his principal, saying that Mr Ekpa was given direct orders.

Apparently, Mr Kanu has accused the federal government of funding Mr Ekpa's activities, saying the sit-at-home order was working for the government. He added that the development was destroying the peace within the southeast geo-political zone.

Mr Ejimakor said: "Simon Ekpa is procured and fully bankrolled by the Nigerian government to cause unrest in our region. Other far-reaching on how to nip the activities of Ekpa and his criminal cohorts in the bud, shall remain private.”