The Defence Headquarters in Abuja has declared one of the leaders of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Simon Ekpa wanted.
Ekpa’s name was published on the Military’s wanted list alongside 96 others from various parts of the country.
In a banner displaying the pictures of the suspects, the Defence Headquarters said it declared 97 persons wanted for terrorism, violent extremism and secessionist threats against the state.
Most prominent among the wanted persons is Ekpa who is controlling a faction of IPOB and has been credited with the declaration of the notorious Monday sit-at-home in the South-East zone.
The Director, Defence Media Operations Major General Edward Buba, confirmed the names and pictures of the people declared wanted.
The wanted persons, terrorists/ bandits and insurgents commanders are from the North East, North West, North Central and South-East zones.
A breakdown of the wanted persons shows that 43 were declared wanted in North-West Zone plagued by banditry, and kidnapping among others.
Some names from the zone include bandits/terrorists 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.
In the North East, 33 persons were declared wanted and they include terrorists commanders.
Some of the names from North-East are 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 violent criminals were equally declared wanted.
They include factional IPOB leader, Simon Ekpa; Chika Edoziem; Egede; Zuma, ThankGod Gentle; Flavour; Mathew; David Ndubuisi ; High Chief Williams Agbor; Ebuka Nwaka; Friday Ojimka.
Others in the South East are Obiemesi Chukwudi aka Dan Chuk; David Ezekwem Chidiebube and Amobi Chinonso Okafor aka Temple.
In February 2023 days before the presidential and national assembly election, Ekpa was arrested in Finland where he resides after threatening that the elections would not hold in the South-East.
Ekpa was arrested by the police in his residence in the Lahti area of the country, a Finnish paper Helsingin Sanomat had reported.
The separatist repeatedly declared that there will be no elections in the South-East region of the country and insisted on the observance of a sit-at-home every Monday in the area to protest the detention of the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu.
IPOB, however, distanced itself from the Finland-based Ekpa who was reportedly billed for an interview before his arrest.
He was later released and has since been very active on social media where he posts his pro-Biafran messages.
