The Defence Headquarters in Abuja have declared one of the leaders of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Simon Ekpa wanted.
Ekpa’s name was added to the Military’s wanted list, alongside 96 others from across the country.
The Defence Headquarters announced on a banner with the suspects’ photos that 97 people were wanted for terrorism, violent extremism, and secessionist threats against the state.
The most sought individual is Ekpa, who controls an IPOB section and is associated with initiating the controversial Monday sit-at-home in the South-East zone.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, confirmed the names and photos of those proclaimed sought.
The sought individuals, terrorists/bandits, and rebel commanders come from the North East, North West, North Central, and South-East zones.
Banner with the names of the 97 sought individuals.
A breakdown of the wanted persons shows that 43 people have been declared wanted in the North West Zone, which has been plagued by banditry and kidnapping, among other things. These people include bandits/terrorist leaders such as Alhaji Shingi, Malindi Yakubu, Boka, Dogo Gide, Halilu Sububu, Ado Aliero, Bello Turji, Dan Bokkolo, Labi Yadi, Nagala, Saidu Idris, Kachalla Rugga, and Sani Gurgu.
33 people have been proclaimed sought in the North East, including terrorist commanders Abu Zaida, Modu Sulum, Baba Data, Ahmad, Sani Teacher, Baa Sadiq, Abdul Saad, Kaka Abi, Mohammad Khalifa, Umar Tella, Abu Mutahid, Mallam Mohammad, Mallam Tahiru Baga, Uzaiya, and Ali Ngule.
In the North Central and South East, 21 insurgents/militants and dangerous offenders were both designated wanted.
They include the factional IPOB leader, Simon Ekpa; Chika Edoziem; Egede; Zuma, ThankGod Gentle; Flavour; Mathew; David Ndubuisi; High Chief Williams Agbor; Ebuka Nwaka; and Friday Ojimka.
Others in the South East include Obiemesi Chukwudi, aka Dan Chuk; David Ezekwem Chidiebube; and Amobi Chinonso Okafor, aka Temple.
Ekpa was detained in Finland in February 2023, just days before the presidential and national assembly elections, after threatening to boycott the elections in the South-East.
According to the Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat, Ekpa was arrested by police at his home in the country’s Lahti province.
The separatists consistently announced that there would be no elections in the country’s South-East region and insisted on a Monday sit-in to protest the detention of Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu.
However, IPOB distanced itself from Finland-based Ekpa, who was apparently scheduled for an interview prior to his detention.
He was eventually released and has been highly active on social media, posting pro-Biafran sentiments.