IPOB members shun Nnamdi Kanu, crown Simon Ekpa Prime Minister in viral video

A video of some Nigerians loyal to Simon Ekpa, the leader of Autopilot, a faction of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) describing him as Prime Minister has emerged.

Some persons in the video cut from a Twitter Space discussion with Ekpa in attendance could be helped to call him Prime Minister while the others called him Leader.

Ekpa, a Nigerian who is based in Finland became the self-styled leader of the group following the re-arrest of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the group in Kenya.

Kanu's incarceration led to an uproar in the Southeast that has since degenerated and led to insecurity in the region including the sit-at-home order.

Only two days ago, Mr. Ekpa said the sit-at-home that wad observed from 3 to 5 July and continues from Friday 7 to 10 July.

He would later announce that Sunday 9 July had been exempted from the sit-at-home days, to allow residents of the region – which has a high population of Christians – to worship their God.

But Emma Powerful, the spokesperson of the IPOB faction led by Mr Kanu, later told Premium Times that the sit-at-home order did not emanate from the group, but was declared by “criminals” seeking to frustrate the release of Mr Kanu.

Since 3 July, there had been reports of shootings by gunmen enforcing the civil action across the five states in the region.