Ekpa to appear in Finnish court Thursday as group orders lockdown
By : Sodiq Omolaoye, Abuja
Finland-based pro-Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa,
The Biafra Republic Government in Exile (BRGIE) has declared a two-day lockdown across the South-East region of Nigeria to mark the court appearance of its Prime Minister, Simon Ekpa, in Finland on Thursday, May 29.
The group said the lockdown is intended to honour Ekpa’s court appearance and celebrate the Biafra cause.
BRGIE’s acclaimed Minister of Information, Akparawa Sunny, who disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, said the two days are to be observed as significant by all Biafrans, both in the South-East and abroad.
The Finnish government had in November 2024 announced the arrest of Ekpa, alongside four others, on suspicion of terror-related activities, including incitement to violence and terrorism financing.
The Finnish police accused Ekpa of allegedly used social media to promote violence in the South-East region, targeting civilians and authorities.
“We confirm that these two days are significant in the lives of all Biafrans living at home and abroad. Our Prime Minister Simon Ekpa has been detained by the Finnish government since November 2024; imperatively, he will appear in Finnish court on May 29 and so Biafrans should honour him as a hero of our time who has sacrificed his life for Biafra,” the group said.
The organisation further warned Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership to desist from efforts aimed at sabotaging the quest for Biafra independence.
The group criticised the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) over the sealing of shops in Onitsha Head Bridge Market, Anambra State, and the alleged imposition of fines ranging from N500,000 to N700,000 on traders.
BRGIE described the NAFDAC actions as economic persecution targeting Biafran traders and demanded the immediate unsealing of the shops.
“BRGIE also warns NAFDAC to unseal every Biafran shop that has been shut down by NAFDAC. NAFDAC’s imposition of a blanket penalty of N500,000 per shop later raised to N700,000 as a condition for reopening the market is exploitative and without legal justification.
“To punish over 5,000 traders indiscriminately without due process is to violate both the spirit and letter of the law. This is not regulation; it is economic persecution of the Biafran people because of their Declaration of Biafra Independence & must be resisted. The Biafra government in the Homeland & the Biafra Defence Forces will take decisive actions if these shops are not unsealed.
“According to reports, over 1,000 shop owners have paid the imposed fee, while thousands of others remain unable to comply due to financial constraints.
“The Biafra Provisional De Facto Government in Homeland, through the Office of the General Administrator and the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Biafra Defence Forces, General Igwe Butuzor, hereby declares May 29 to May 30, 2025, as a period of remembrance for our heroes and heroines. These two days will observe a complete lockdown across all Biafra territories, including both hinterland and coastal regions.
“We urge all Biafrans to honour this solemn occasion and use this time to reflect on our collective journey towards freedom,” the statement read.
GUARDIAN Newspapers.