The lawmaker representing Abia North, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, has revealed that Simon Ekpa, the self-proclaimed leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), issued threats against him for not supporting the agitation for Biafra.
Kalu made this disclosure during an interview with Arise Television on Monday.
Simon Ekpa, a dual citizen of Finland and Nigeria, was arrested by Finnish police on November 21, 2024, and subsequently imprisoned by the district court of Päijät-Häme.
He faces charges of spreading terrorist propaganda via social media in 2021, allegedly inciting violence and terror in Nigeria’s southeast region.
The federal government has been pressing for Ekpa’s extradition to Nigeria to face prosecution, while the Finnish court has set May 2025 as the deadline for filing charges against him.
Kalu, who urged security agencies to enhance intelligence operations, stressed the importance of proactive measures in combating crime.
He said, “I am very strong-willed when it comes to security, and I can do anything to safeguard the lives and property of the people I rule.
“You must be a strong leader to condemn crime, and I eradicated crime. No governor should tolerate any type of crime in his state; it is not allowed.
“Igbos must have safety on their hands. The federal government and state governors should work towards that, and the army should dismantle all the roadblocks in Igboland.
“Where people will come with transport and stop on the road is no longer viable; that is no longer security. Security is about intelligence.
“Simon Ekpa was calling and threatening me that I don’t support Biafra, but I left him to his conscience.
“My conscience is that I am a democrat, an Igbo man at heart, and I believe in this country, and I believe in my tribe, where I come from, in Igbere.”
Kalu asked the south-east governors to be resolute and ruthless in dealing with the activities of non-state actors.