Controversial Biafran agitator Simon Ekpa has claimed responsibility for the killing of four police operatives in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.
PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that gunmen attacked and killed the officers along the Onitsha-Owerri Expressway at about 6:30 p.m. on Monday.
In addition to the police operatives, a female Point of Sale (PoS) machine operator was also shot dead.
Ekpa, a Nigerian based in Finland, leads Autopilot, a faction of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
He also founded the Biafra Defence Forces and Biafra Liberation Army, the militant wings of Autopilot IPOB.
In a post on his X handle shortly after the attack, Ekpa announced, “The Biafra Defence Forces Owerri Command has recovered weapons from the terrorists after neutralising them in numbers.”
He often refers to Nigerian security operatives as “terrorists.”
Ekpa and his group are demanding the withdrawal of all Nigerian security forces from the South East.
He warned, “If you think you will continue to use force and terrorism tactics to force us to remain in the union, this will continue to be your faith in Biafraland,” referring to the recent attack.
The agitator frequently shares details of attacks in Nigeria’s South East on his X handle.
Like IPOB’s leader Nnamdi Kanu, Ekpa is advocating for the secession of the South East and some parts of the South South from Nigeria to form an independent state known as Biafra.
Ekpa also attached a video to his X post showing four rifles and police case files displayed by individuals claiming to have killed the operatives.
The faces of the speakers were not shown, but one person in the background said in Igbo, “Papa, it wasn’t easy. You know today is the beginning of sit-at-home (in the South East). People were asked to sit at home, and these people (police operatives) came out to extort people.”
“These are Nigerian terrorists who were at their duty post despite our leader’s sit-at-home order. But they felt they work for the government and would not obey the order. They have now seen it happen today in Owerri, which is 29 July 2024,” he added.
The armed men seemed to be reporting their operation to Ekpa, who had declared a four-day sit-at-home in the South East from July 29 to August 2, excluding August 1.
Addressing security operatives, one of the armed men warned, “Our leader earlier told you, people, that any police or army operative in Biafraland, it is better you resign or we will use your head to work.”
Ekpa’s actions have led to calls for his repatriation to Nigeria to face charges over his role in the region’s insecurity.
For example, on July 21, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State urged members of the House of Representatives to consider repatriating Ekpa to face prosecution.
The Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa, has also accused the Finnish government and the European Union of blocking Ekpa’s repatriation.
Last year, the Nigerian Senate asked the federal government to work with the Finnish government to extradite Ekpa.
In February 2023, Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Finnish Ambassador to Nigeria, Leena Pylvanainen, over Ekpa’s threats to disrupt the country’s general elections. The then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, sought cooperation from the Finnish government for Ekpa’s repatriation.
However, Pylvanainen noted that while the Finnish government was concerned, they had to consider Ekpa’s rights as a Finnish citizen.
Reacting to the latest incident, Imo State Commissioner of Police Aboki Danjuma condemned the attack and the “gruesome murder” of his officers and the civilian.
A statement issued by the command’s spokesman, ASP Henry Okoye, blamed the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra/Eastern Security Network for the attack. Danjuma has deployed the command’s Tactical Units and intelligence to hunt down the perpetrators.
The statement revealed that the operatives were ambushed during a routine patrol at Irete on the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway.
Despite fighting valiantly, four officers lost their lives, and a civilian was fatally injured. The CP expressed sadness over the incident and vowed to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice.
