Violence has persisted in the area despite IPOB’s denials of ever issuing a sit-at-home order on the days in question through its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful.
Consequently, aggrieved Nigerians are signing the petition calling for Ekpa’s arrest for “terrorism and genocide.”
The petition reads, “We call on the Finnish Government, EU, The Nigerian Government to arrest Mr. Simon Ekpa, and investigate all his heinous crimes and terror activities in Eastern Nigeria.
“One Simon Ekpa (also known as Ifeanyi Njoku), a Nigerian living in Finland, and holding Finnish citizenship, has by proxies, successfully established and coordinated an armed rebel group in Eastern Nigeria whom he now wields to destroy lives, property, and businesses in Eastern Nigeria.
“He’s been seen countless times, using his media platforms in Finland to issue orders to his armed goons in Eastern Nigeria to launch deadly attacks on millions of people in the region for flouting his sit-at-home orders.
“Simon is a separatist fighting for state secession but has never been brave enough to come home and lead the war from the front in Nigeria.
“He is rather igniting and fueling terror on his ethnic group who decline his call for secession.
“Simon’s action is stirring up bloodbath – a genocide in the region, and innocent women, children, the aged and youths are the victims dying everyday.
“Sign the petition, and share it everywhere, to call on the Finnish Government, EU, The Nigerian Government to arrest Mr. Simon Ekpa, and investigate all his heinous crimes and terror activities in Eastern Nigeria”, the petition reads.
Nnamdi Kanu, an IPOB leader who is now in custody, also denounced the attacks that have been occurring in the country’s east as a result of Ekpa’s five-day sit-at-home order.
Kanu conveyed his regret about the attacks and his condolences for the victims, according to Aloy Ejimakor, the special counsel for Kanu and IPOB, who visited Kanu in his DSS cell on Monday.
