On the list are Simon Ekpa, Prime Minister of the Biafra Government in Exile, and disciple of Nnamdi Kanu and an IPOB leader, Edoziem.
The lead counsel for the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor Esq. has faulted the declaration of Chika Edoziem as a wanted person by the Nigerian Defence Headquarters.
It was reported on Saturday that the Defence Headquarters had declared 97 persons wanted for various crimes in Nigeria.
The wanted persons include terrorists and insurgents, and Biafra successionists, who were accused of being behind violent crimes in the country.
On the list are Simon Ekpa, Prime Minister of the Biafra Government in Exile, and disciple of Nnamdi Kanu and an IPOB leader, Edoziem.
But reacting to the declaration, Ejiofor said it was preposterous for the Defence Headquarters to declare the Head of the Directorate of State of IPOB wanted for criminal activities in the South East when the same government allegedly worked with criminal actors to discredit IPOB peace agitation for self-determination, a fundamental right guaranteed by Nigerian constitution and the UN Charter, which it is a signatory to.
Faulting the declaration in a statement on Sunday, Ejiofor vowed to challenge it in court and advised the IPOB family to be calm and remain resolute.
The statement reads: "I have been inundated with calls and messages from well-meaning Biafrans and individuals, expressing their concerns following the purported declaration of Mazi Chika Edoziem- the Head of the Directorate of State of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), as a wanted person by the Nigerian Defence Headquarters.
"The Indigenous People of Biafra which I am its Lead Counsel, has remained a peaceful global movement, recognised and registered in several countries across the globe; exercising their legitimate rights to self-determination which is a right guaranteed under the Nigerian Constitution and other international laws and statutes.
"Nigerian security agencies are not under any form of illusion about the identity of the chief mastermind of the heinous criminal activities in our land and their foot soldiers. IPOB and my humble self spent months and years shouting on top of our voices vide various publications on the devastating activities of these criminals on our land, and the deliberate attribution of their heinous criminal activities to IPOB."
He maintained that the reason for the attribution of the “criminal activities” of Simon Ekpa-led criminal gangs to the IPOB peaceful global movement, "is the consequences of today’s declaration."
He said, "Those who are in a position to continue making this clarification and denouncing the monstrous activities of Ekpa and his gangs, by also distancing them from peaceful activities of IPOB, but deliberately chose to shirk this compelling responsibility for reasons best known to them, are now faced with the terrible consequences of their secret romance with Ekpa.
"I wish to assure all ezigbo UmuChineke and Biafrans that there is absolutely no cause for alarm. I believe in the rule of law and be assured that the legality or otherwise of this misguided pronouncement shall be tested in a law court because I see no justification whatsoever for such pronouncement as it concerns Mazi Chika Edoziem.
"I urge all ezigbo UmuChineke to remain peaceful and law-abiding as they have always been. Justice must certainly prevail in the end."