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Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, has labeled Simon Ekpa, a Finland-based individual claiming to be a leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), as a "fraudster and ordinary criminal" who is taking advantage of the emotions and hardships of the Igbo people.
The governor urged the people of the South East region to ignore Ekpa's threats and calls for sit-at-home actions.
Mbah also expressed dissatisfaction with the continued sheltering of Ekpa by the Government of Finland, despite the loss of lives and property caused by his followers.
The governor made these remarks over the weekend while hosting members of the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence during their oversight visit to Enugu State.
He also highlighted the significance of security, emphasizing his administration's efforts to end the unlawful imposition of sit-at-home orders by non-state actors, which have held the people captive both mentally and economically. However, he assured that his government is not taking any chances.
Mbah stated, "Recently, there have been ongoing attempts by individuals, particularly that self-centered individual who ironically lives peacefully with his family in Finland, a country known for upholding the rule of law.
Yet, he promotes lawlessness here and manipulates some of our youths towards self-destruction.
This is merely a business for him, pretending to champion the Igbo cause when he knows nothing about the Igbo or their welfare.
He creates a sense of siege and thrives on it to make a living, continuously exploiting our people who may not be aware, claiming to fight for their interests.
He is simply a common criminal. We are dealing with someone who only seeks to spread terrorism among the people under the guise of caring for them."
