Orji Kalu: Simon Ekpa threatened me for not supporting Biafra

Orji Kalu, the senator representing Abia north, says Simon Ekpa, self-proclaimed leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), threatened him for not supporting Biafra.

On November 21, the police in Finland arrested the pro-Biafra agitator.

He was subsequently sent to prison by the district court of Päijät-Häme for “spreading terrorist propaganda on social media”.

Ekpa was said to have committed the crime in 2021 in Lahti municipality.

He is accused of instigating violence and inciting terror in the south-east of Nigeria through his social media pages.

The federal government has been demanding the extradition of Ekpa, a dual citizen of Finland and Nigeria, for prosecution.

Ekpa allegedly committed crimes in 2021 in Lahti, accused of instigating violence and terror in Nigeria via social media.

A Finnish district court has fixed May 2025 for the prosecution to file charges against the pro-Biafra agitator.

Speaking during an interview with Arise Television on Monday, Kalu said he ignored threats from Ekpa for not supporting agitation for Biafra.

The senator asked security agencies to adopt proactive measures to combat crime, noting that security is built on intelligence.

“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,” he said.

“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.