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INTERVIEW: Simon Ekpa a conman, opportunist – IPOB lawyer, Ejiofor
• ‘Nnamdi Kanu emotionally traumatised in solitary confinement where he has no access to human beings’, says Ejiofor
Ifeanyi Ejiofor, counsel to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has slammed Simon Ekpa, the Finland-based self-acclaimed Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government-in-Exile, describing him as a ‘conman’ and ‘opportunist’ exploiting the vacuum caused by Kanu’s incarceration to pursue his selfish agenda. He added that Ekpa’s agenda runs contrary to the beliefs of Nnamdi Kanu.
Barrister Ejiofor in this interview with Daily Post, affirmed that Nnamdi Kanu is not in support of the incessant sit-at-home orders and wanton destruction of people’s livelihood in the Southeast. He also gave an update on Kanu’s case and on other issues. Excerpts!
Supporters of sit-at-home have argued that they are using it because they want to consistently remind the government and demand the immediate release of Kanu by the Department of State Services, DSS. What do you think about their argument?
Their argument is misconceived and holds no water, simple. How can it make sense when Nnamdi Kanu whom you are purportedly sitting-at-home for has given a direct order that you should stop because he doesn’t like that strategy?
However, I want to clarify again that MNK (Mazi Nnamdi Kanu) has totally cancelled sit-at-home. This is because it is a dead strategy. Nnamdi Kanu didn’t start saying this today. This message has been on for almost two years. The first time this sit-at-home was suggested by the DOS, he instructed me to tell them that they should cancel it. He warned that the sit-at-home would make it easy for criminal gangs to take advantage and be causing havoc in our community.
Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, detained IPOB Leader
The IPOB leadership were reasonable when I told them MNK’s directive on sit-at-home. They understood the point he was making and consequently proceeded to cancel it. Now when that was done and they announced the cancellation of the sit-at-home in line with the directive of MNK, that was when some people who were scheming for an opportunity to be relevant saw that as an avenue to launch themselves into the limelight. They started dishing out contrary orders that sit-at-home must continue. They came out throwing insults and threats that made gullible people believe they are true, and have the interest of MNK at heart. But unknown to them, the man spearheading the sit-at-home is on a different project. He has his own ideology, plans and agenda which is fundamentally different from whatever you think he’s pursuing.
MNK has consistently relayed messages telling people that they should stop sit-at-home over his case. At one point, he was forced to say something in court where he clearly said he wants Southeast to be calm and peaceful. He explained that the suffering he’s passing through is to liberate the Igbos. He said it clearly, under no duress or at gunpoint. He also went on to send a handwritten note directly to the person anchoring the sit-at-home, telling him that sit-at-home orders and enforcement should not be done for his sake. How can you merge the agenda of MNK that is being detained and subjected to intense physiological trauma so that his people can be liberated, with people that go about kidnapping, killing, and cannibalising innocent people? The answer is that these gangs enforcing sit-at-home are not for MNK’s interest and ideology.
But as a member of MNK’s legal team, has this sit-at-home had any impact on the federal government at all?
Sit-at-home has not been effective, and will never make the federal government do anything for MNK. In fact, I can assure you that the government and the DSS are even happy with the hostility going on in the southeast. Because I have reasons to believe that this criminal in Finland ordering sit-at-home, is being armed, supported and funded by the government.
For example, in Imo State today, we have various communities that have been taken over by these criminals. These communities are known to the government but instead of the government deploying forces to go there, they instead go after arresting innocent passersby. I can confirm to you that they are killing and arresting innocent people in the east, and bringing them to Abuja in their 100s.
I have a friend of mine who lost his elder sister, and I called him to confirm when they have fixed the burial. He told me that the in-laws are waiting to get permission from the gangs operating in the community. These criminals are the ones that now tell people the date, time for the burial, the number of guests they should invite, and the time all the guests must leave the community. This is the situation in many parts of Imo and Anambra. And you have governors there who claim to be fighting insecurity.
But now the new directive is that the government should go out to fish out these criminals and deal with them accordingly. As far as I am concerned, sit-at-home has no impact whatsoever in the matter we are having in court.
What we have now are criminals destroying communities in the name of MNK. What that shows is that they have nothing to do with the Biafra struggle. And we have said this countless times that Simon Ekpa is not with IPOB. He is just an opportunist who saw the vacuum created by the temporary exit of MNK as an opportunity to come into the limelight. And his activities of late will show you that he is pursuing his own different agenda. I noticed that he is a conman right from the early days. But many gullible people thought he was working for Nnamdi Kanu until at some point it now became clear to everybody.
Now, everybody can see how he is destroying the Southeast with his sit-at-home orders and enforcement. And I can assure you that 99.9 per cent of the people calling for MNK’s release are doing so because they are convinced that he was not indulging in criminal activities.
What is the update on MNK’s case?
The point is that life has not been fair to Nnamdi Kanu, so you can’t expect him to feel fine for so many reasons. One, he was abducted in Kenya on the 19th of June 2021, tortured for eight days, exposed to all sorts of inhuman treatment, kept in an un-descriptive environment like a criminal, and he faced extraordinary rendition to Nigeria. He was taken to court on the 29th of June on a subsisting matter without reference to us, his lawyers. The court made an order that he should be remanded in the DSS facility. It is known to all that DSS is not a conventional facility for remanding people awaiting trial. We have the correctional service centre which is the institution in charge of keeping people awaiting trial until they are convicted. But that is by the way.
We vigorously pursued the charges against him and the FG kept amending the charges. They started from five to seven-counts-charge, then they made it up to 10 and then later 15-count charge. In all these amendments, we kept filing objections to the competence of the charge, and the jurisdiction of the court to hear the matter, on the grounds that there was gross violation of international and domestic laws in the manner he was brought to Nigeria.
Two, the offences disclosed in the charge proffered against him have no true evidence backing them up. These are grounds upon which we objected to the charges against him.
The last charge is the 15-count charge and the court heard our objection to the charge and eventually struck out many of the 15-count charges, leaving the remaining seven. We took the seven to the Court of Appeal and on the 13th of October 2022, the court delivered judgement and consequently, they struck out the remaining charges. The court did not only discharge MNK of the seven-count charge, but it also made a far-reaching pronouncement in the judgement, ordering the government to release him unconditionally and to stop prosecuting, detaining or subjecting MNK to any form of criminal indictment or trial before any court in Nigeria again.
This order was served on the government, and to date, they have not complied with that court order. Instead, the federal government went to file an application before the same Court of Appeal to stay the execution of the judgement delivered. We objected because that sort of application is not known to law. Normally if you want to appeal the judgement of the Court of Appeal, you take it up to the Supreme Court. But another set of judges at the Court of Appeal sat on the application and on 18th of October 2022 delivered a ruling staying the execution of the judgement made by the same Court of Appeal.
Again, the federal government proceeded to the Supreme Court to challenge the Court of Appeal ruling. We have also filed an appeal against that order staying the execution of the order granted by the Court of Appeal. So we have three different appeals pending before the Supreme Court, and the court has set down the matter for a definite hearing on September 14th.
How has this whole situation affected MNK in DSS detention?
You can understand that he is emotionally traumatised. He is in solitary confinement where he has no access to no human beings. They have continued to violate his rights, more so, when a court of competent jurisdiction has freed him. But instead of complying with that order, the government went further to appeal against it. We are not against FG appealing the judgement, but they should have complied with the declarative order of the Court of Appeal that ordered you to let him go. So he is not happy at all.
And we, his lawyers, representing him are not impressed with the manner in which the FG is treating court orders with levity and impunity. It shows that they have no respect for the rule of law and constitutional democracy.
However, we won’t take laws into our hands. We are hoping that the final court of the land will grant us justice come September 14, 2023.
• One casualty recorded, three hospitalized
The Anambra State Government has sealed the site of the collapsed building at Oko in Orumba North Local Government Area of the state.
Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Barr. Chijioke Ojukwu announced immediate closure of the site pending comprehensive investigations and structural integrity assessments.
He said preliminary findings indicated structural failure as the likely cause of the collapse.
While reaffirming government commitment to stricter enforcement of physical planning regulations and the elimination of unsafe construction practices, Ojukwu vowed that the incident would mark a turning point in enforcement of building regulations across the state.
He assured that owners and developers of defective or non-compliant structures would face sanctions, while ongoing projects would undergo stricter inspections.
On his part, Commissioner for Works, Arc. Okey Ezeobi, said technical investigations were ongoing to determine exact cause of the collapse.
He added that government had engaged a team of professionals to carry out a comprehensive structural evaluation.
Recommendations will be implemented
He assured residents that government would implement recommendations from the investigation to strengthen the state’s building control system.
Implementation will also prevent future occurrences while ensuring prosecution of culprits in accordance with the law.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike, said government immediately deployed medical personnel and ambulances to the scene to provide emergency care for the injured, while the Ministry of Health worked closely with other emergency response agencies throughout the rescue operation.
Obidike commended the swift and coordinated response of the Anambra State Government and emergency agencies, describing it as crucial to the rescue efforts and timely medical treatment of victims.
The Mayor of Orumba North Local Government Area, Rtd. Captain. Casmir Nwafor, praised the rapid intervention of the state government and emergency responders, noting that their coordinated efforts helped contain the situation and minimize further risks.
Nwafor urged developers, property owners, institutions, and residents to comply strictly with approved building regulations and safety standards, reaffirming the local government’s support for the enforcement of physical planning laws.
Running to safety
Eyewitnesses, Prince Ifeanyi Ezefunamba said the building, reportedly occupied by students of Federal Polytechnic Oko, collapsed at about 10:00 p.m. after occupants heard cracking sounds and evacuated.
One survivor, Miss Chioma Akabike narrowly escaped moments before the collapse, while rescue operations commenced immediately.
Also present during the inspection were officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) headed by the Enugu State Head of Operations, Mrs. Priscilla Mbaekwe, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Red Cross Society, and the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).
Others include: the Anambra State Fire Service, and the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), who participated in rescue, security, and preliminary technical assessments.
As of the time of filing this report, one fatality had been confirmed, while three injured victims were receiving treatment at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH) and St. Michael’s Hospital, Oko, as rescue operations continued.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Obongemem Ekperikpe Ekpo, on Saturday commended the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) for demonstrating that Local Content Policy could be a force for transforming lives and creating socio-economic value through community-focused interventions.
Speaking at the commissioning of a state-of-the-art Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Centre at IkaComprehensive High School, Ikot Akpan Anwa, Akwa Ibom State, the Minister said such a strategic investment in the area, with vast possibilities for research and online learning through diverse educational platforms, would bolster human capital development, digital literacy and sustainable community development.
The ICT Centre, built and equipped by the NCDMB, comprises a modern computer laboratory with 50 networked desktop workstations, an interactive smart board, projector, server room and Starlink high-speed Internet connectivity to support digital learning, research and computer-based examinations. Designed to accommodate up to 70 users, the facility also features air-conditioned learning spaces, a staff room, store and separate convenience facilities. Power reliability is supported by a 15kVA generator and a 15kVA solar power system with battery backup, complemented by a dedicated network infrastructure for seamless connectivity.
“This ICT Centre,” according to the Minister, “is far more than a building equipped with computers; it is an investment in the future of our children and a gateway to knowledge, innovation, creativity and opportunity.” Continuing, he noted that, “Nations that invest in the digital education of their young people today are the ones that will lead the world tomorrow.”
He said the initiative of the Board aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by advancing access to quality education, youth empowerment, digital transformation and inclusive economic growth, as young Nigerians in rural communities acquire relevant digital skills and competencies to participate effectively in a technology-driven economy.
Representing the Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, the Director, Corporate Services, Dr. Abdulmalik Halilu, stated that digital literacy and ICT capacity development remain a key component of the Board’s human capital development mandate aimed at building a skilled workforce for the Nigerian oil and gas industry and the broader economy. He noted that the facility would provide students with access to digital learning, research tools, artificial intelligence and global knowledge resources.
“This ICT Centre is more than a building; it is an investment in the future of our young people,” he stated, adding, “It represents our commitment to extending Nigerian Content objectives beyond industry into classrooms, where innovation, technology and skills development can empower the next generation.”
Halilu stressed that the project’s long-term success depends on collaboration among the Board, the school and the host community. He urged the community to take ownership of the facility and ensure its proper maintenance and sustainability for future generations.
“Our expectation is not simply to hand over a facility but to see measurable outcomes in the lives of the students who will use it. We therefore call on the school and the host community to safeguard this centre and ensure it continues to deliver value for many years to come.” He added.
Speaking on behalf of the project delivery team, the Managing Director of Standard Institute of Technology Limited, Engr. Alexander Nsidibe, expressed appreciation to NCDMB for the confidence placed in the company to deliver the project. He described the ICT Centre as a demonstration of the Board’s commitment to quality infrastructure development and human capital advancement. He pledged the company’s continued support for the facility’s maintenance for one year after handover, noting that the Centre would enhance students’ digital competencies and prepare them for productive life in industry.
In her welcome address, the Principal General of IkaComprehensive High School, Mrs. Nkom John Umoette, described the ICT Centre as a transformative intervention that would bridge existing digital access gaps. She noted that the school lacked an ICT facility, which constrained students’ exposure to digital learning and computer-based education.
She expressed appreciation to Rt. Hon. Ekpo and the NCDMB for making the project a reality, stating that the facility would equip students with essential digital skills, improve their preparedness for computer-based examinations, and create greater opportunities for academic excellence and future careers.
A representative of the community commended the Minister and the NCDMB for the delivery of the ICT Centre, noting that the facility would significantly improve access to digital learning and computer-based examinations. He recalled that students previously travelled to Uyo and neighbouring communities to register for and take examinations such as JAMB, incurring additional costs and facing logistical challenges.
Many students are reportedly trapped even as rescue operation is ongoing in Oko community in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State where a private student hostel reportedly collapsed Sunday night.
Several occupants are feared trapped beneath the rubble of the three-storey building identified as Elite Five Star Lodge collapsed at Amokpala, Oko.
Eyewitnesses said a loud bang was heard moments before the multi-storey building gave way, sending students and residents rushing to the scene in confusion and fear.
“We heard a loud bang, and within seconds people were screaming for help. Everyone rushed out to see what had happened,” an eyewitness said.
Videos and photos circulating on social media showed a large crowd gathered around the collapsed structure as residents, students and emergency responders launched frantic rescue efforts. Local volunteers were also seen assisting in clearing debris in a bid to locate survivors.
Rescue operations ongoing – Police
The Anambra State Police command confirmed the incident in a statement Monday morning saying a coordinated rescue operation was underway.
The building, located beside Tonimas Filling Station, caved in on July 26, prompting an immediate emergency response from the Anambra State Police Command and other security agencies.
The statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the Police-led joint security team swiftly mobilised to the scene upon receiving a distress call adding that the area was secured to prevent further danger while rescue efforts commenced in collaboration with relevant emergency responders.
According to the statement, personnel of the Anambra State Fire Service and the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) joined the operation to assist in searching for survivors and evacuating victims from the debris.
The police command disclosed that some injured occupants have already been rescued and taken to a hospital in Oko, where they are receiving medical treatment.
However, rescue operations are still in progress, and authorities said the number of casualties or persons trapped could not yet be confirmed.
The command appealed to residents and members of the public to remain calm, refrain from spreading unverified information, and stay away from the disaster site to enable emergency personnel carry out their duties without obstruction.
Ikenga assured that further updates would be provided as more verified information becomes available.
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