Simon Ekpa Issues 72-Hour Deadline for Nnamdi Kanu’s Release and Others

The Simon Ekpa-led faction of the Biafra government has issued a new ultimatum to the Nigerian government, demanding the release of Nnamdi Kanu and other detained South-Easterners.

Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has remained in detention since his repatriation from Kenya, heightening tensions in the South-East. Recently, a two-day lockdown was enforced across the region following a sit-at-home order circulated in a viral video, which both Ekpa and IPOB leaders denied endorsing.

In a statement on Thursday via his X handle, Ekpa demanded the immediate release of all South-Eastern detainees held in various facilities across Nigeria. He also called on South-Eastern judges serving outside the region to return home. According to Ekpa, the decision to issue the ultimatum, which runs until October 27, 2024, was made during a meeting that day. He accused the Nigerian judiciary of contributing to regional instability by supporting unpopular governors.

Ekpa warned that if the demands are not met, his group would initiate a lockdown of federal institutions, including courts in the South-East, starting October 29.

He emphasized that the group’s emergency cabinet meeting had voted to give the Nigerian government 72 hours to release all detained Biafrans outside the region, with the ultimatum set to expire on October 27, 2024.