Simon Ekpa, a self-acclaimed disciple of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has written to the European Union and the United States of America over the killings and alleged human rights violations carried out by Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State against residents.
Ekpa condemned the sealing of businesses and killing of residents for protesting against closing their shops, while demanding for a visa ban on Governor Mbah.
Truetells Nigeria on Wednesday reported that security agencies Governor Mbah deployed to Ogbete Main Market killed two traders and injured several others when traders took to the streets to protest the sealing of their shops by the government for not opening for business on Monday.
It should be recalled that IPOB, a pro-Biafra group agitating for Biafra in September 2021 called for every Monday sit-at-home protest in the South East region to force Nigeria government to release their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who has been in custody since June 2021 despite various court judgments discharging him of any crime.
Residents of the South East including Enugu State have been observing the sit-at-home on Mondays until July 5, 2023, when Mbah declared a ban on sit-at-home, insisting that the protest was ruining the economy of the state.
He consequently, warned that any business, market, or school that did not open on Mondays would be shut indefinitely.
True to his threats on Monday, Mbah began to seal businesses and banks he accused of observing sit-at-home. In the end, he sealed over 106 shops and malls and vowed that sealed shops would remain closed for one week before his government could consider whether to unseal or auction the shops if certain conditions are met.
Following the development, Ekpa condemned the brutal attack on the people of Biafra who are exercising their fundamental human rights to protest in a letter written to the international community.
In the letter titled: “Ref. HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF ENUGU STATE BY PETER MBAH, THE GOVERNOR OF ENUGU STATE, BIAFRA (SOUTHEAST NIGERIA),” Ekpa accused governor Peter Mbah of confiscating and locking up peoples’ 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 civilized world.
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 civilized world, thereby denying the people of Enugu State the right to personal property and free enterprise.
“Today, 26th of July 2023, he ordered the massacre of protesters in Enugu State, where two innocent Biafrans were massacred and many injured.
“Peter Mbah is currently in court for academic certificate forgery during the last election in Nigeria. The elders and religious leaders in Enugu state have been calling for Peter Mbah to resign from office. Hence in a bid to save his political life, he has resorted to playing a stooge to the ruling Islamic party All Progressives Congress (APC) of Nigeria, who in turn is using Peter Mbah to hunt down their perceived political opponents (Christians) in Enugu State, Biafra land.
“By this letter, we are notifying you of the atrocities of Peter Mbah and the ruling Islamic APC party in Nigeria. 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.”
