A controversial Biafra agitator based in Finland, Simon Ekpa, has claimed responsibility for the killing of four police officers in Owerri, Imo State.
The attack occurred along the Onitsha-Owerri Expressway on Monday evening.
The incident also resulted in the death of a woman who operated a Point of Sale machine. The gunmen attacked the police officers around 6:30 p.m.
Simon Ekpa, leader of the Autopilot faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra, announced the attack on his X handle.
He wrote, “The Biafra Defence Forces Owerri Command has recovered weapons from the terrorists after neutralising them in numbers.”
Ekpa, who is also the founder of the Biafra Defence Forces and the Biafra Liberation Army, often refers to Nigerian security forces as “terrorists.” In his post, he stated, “If you think you will continue to use force and terrorism tactics to force us to remain in the union, this will continue to be your fate in Biafraland.”
A video attached to Ekpa’s post showed four rifles and police case files. The video did not show the faces of the people speaking. One speaker said in Igbo, “Papa, it wasn’t easy. You know today is the beginning of sit-at-home (in the South-east). These police operatives came out to extort people despite our leader’s sit-at-home order.”
The armed men in the video claimed they were enforcing Ekpa’s order and added, “Our leader earlier told you people that any police or army operative in Biafraland, it is better you resign or we will use your head to work.”
Ekpa had earlier declared a four-day sit-at-home order in the South-east from July 29 to August 2, excluding August 1. This order has led to increased tension and violence in the region.
