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Finland-based factional leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Simon Ekpa, has written to the European Union and the United States of America, accusing Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah of violation of human rights.
Anti-riot police squad allegedly killed three residents in Enugu on Wednesday, July 26, 2023, after a protest broke out following an attempt by the state government to forcefully close 106 shops and two banks at Ogbete Main Market.
The government had accused owners of the shops of refusing to open for business on Monday, an action it deemed as compliance with the controversial sit-at-home order by a faction of IPOB in the South-East.
Since resuming office on May 29, 2023, Governor Mbah has made no secret his desire to end the sit-at-home menace in Enugu. He has since reinvigorated the fight against radical elements of the outlawed group whose actions have crippled the economy of the state and the region as a whole.
Ekpa demands visa ban for Mbah
But Ekpa, in a letter written to the international community after the Wednesday incident, demanded a visa ban on Mbah for allegedly violating the citizens' fundamental human rights.
He also accused the Enugu State government of confiscating and arresting people in the state without recourse to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The letter read, “We wish to bring to your notice the gross violation and fundamental human rights abuses of the people of Enugu State, Biafra (in Southeast Nigeria) by Peter Mbah, the governor of Enugu State.
“Peter Mbah is confiscating and locking up people’s businesses and means of sustenance without recourse to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or any chatter, treaty or convention known anywhere in the civilised world, thereby denying the people of Enugu State the right to personal property and free enterprise.
“We request that you impose a visa ban on Governor Peter Mbah and add him to the list of terrorists and haters of freedom and democracy in Nigeria.”
Senate seeks Simon Ekpa's extradition
The Nigerian Senate has called on the Federal Government to work in collaboration with the Finnish Government to extradite Ekpa for prosecution.
During a Senate session held on Wednesday, members expressed their concerns about the detrimental effects of the sit-at-home protests on the region's economy and citizens' welfare.
In response, they resolved to invite the incoming Minister of Foreign Affairs and other relevant stakeholders to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.