From Detention, IPOB’s Nnamdi Kanu Directs Former Nigerian Athlete To Start Broadcast Via Radio Biafra

Simon Ekpa, a popular Nigerian pro-Biafra political activist has announced that Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has directed him to commence broadcast on Radio Biafra (online).

Ekpa made the claim on his known Facebook page on Thursday.

According to Ekpa, he sees the gesture by Kanu as "a call to serve lovers of freedom".

Read his full post below:

BREAKING! 

Our Leader, Mazi Nnamdi on this day, 8th of July 2021 directed that I, Simon Ekpa should start broadcasting from Radio Biafra with immediate effect. 

On this note, it is honour, and at the same time, a call to service, a call to serve Biafra nation and a call to serve lovers of freedom.

This task, i will do with everything in me to see that we maintain the momentum and the legacy of our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB. 

I will serve with everything in me and i will double my effort in media, diplomacy and otherwise to the best interest of Biafra people. 

I am just a servant and i will serve.

Our leader will continue to lead this struggle from where ever he is.

I am Simon Ekpa, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu's disciple on Biafra restoration.

Who is Simon Ekpa?

Ekpa, a top ally of Nnamdi Kanu, is believed to be based in Finland.

Many - especially on social media - recognise him as a disciple of Kanu, a tag Ekpa himself proudly professes. But few people are aware he is a one-time professional athlete who donned the green and white colours of Nigeria.

IPOB, a secessionist movement Ekpa solidly identifies with, wants a sovereign Biafran nation.

The now-outlawed group says Nigeria - since gaining Independence from Britain in 1960 - has done the people of the South-South and South-East regions of the country no good, hence, they prefer to break away.

Ekpa fanatically shares in that ideology and has been resolute in his quest for 'freedom' for his people, albeit all his acts perpetrated from the diaspora.

According to Ekpa, he is a lawyer based in Finland.

Like his boss, Kanu, Ekpa has been severally accused of hate speech.

Meanwhile, AllNews cannot independently verify if Ekpa still stays in Finland.

Ekpa as an athlete

Ekpa, born 21 March 1985, represented Nigeria at the 2003 African Junior Athletics Championships in Cameroon. At the tournament, he won a silver medal at the triple jump event.

Ekpa was a track and field athlete who specialised in long jumps and short sprints.

Checks by AllNews on Ekpa's profile on the World Athletics official website shows that he also competed either for or in Finland in the years 2007 and 2009.

Ekpa was part of the over 500 athletes barred from participating in the 2010 National Sports Festival (NSF), owing to the fact that they had taken part in more than one previous festivals, as well as represented Nigeria in various past internationals and championships.

The 17th NSF held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State in 2011.

Nigerian authorities said at the time that the NSF had transmogrified into 'a purely developmental event to unearth new talents', hence the decision to prevent Ekpa and others from featuring.

Ekpa competing in Africa.