IPOB: Simon Ekpa Writes EU, U.S.A To Impose Visa Ban On Enugu Governor Mbah
The factional leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Simon Ekpa has written to the European Union (EU) and the United States (US) to impose a visa ban on Enugu State governor Peter Mbah.
Ekpa who is based in Finland has called for the visa ban on Mbah over an alleged human rights abuse carried out by the governor in Enugu State on Wednesday.
Three people were reported to have lost their lives when traders took to the streets to protest the sealing of their shops by the state government for not opening for business on Monday due to the sit-at-home order from IPOB.
Pro-Biafra agitator, Ekpa, thereafter wrote to the EU and US over the killings and asked that a visa ban should be imposed on Mbah for violating the citizens’ fundamental human rights.
“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,” the letter read in part.
“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.
“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.”
Enugu residents took to the streets on Tuesday, in protest against the continued Monday sit-at-home in the state, expressing support for Governor Mbah to end the illegal exercise.
Mbah had on June 5 banned the observance of sit-at-home in the state, urging residents to go about their legitimate duties on Mondays and other days. He had also stepped up security around the state.
The governor had threatened to sanction businesses and institutions that refused to open on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Senate has called on the Federal Government (FG) to extradite Ekpa from Finland.
The red chamber made this call while also condemning the Monday sit-at-home being observed across all the states in the South-Eastern region of Nigeria.
The Senators reached the resolution during a plenary session at the National Assembly in Abuja on Wednesday.
They also asked the FG to collaborate with the Finnish Government and extradite a pro-Biafran agitator, Ekpa, for prosecution.
The upper chamber also resolved to invite the Minister of Foreign Affairs (when appointed) and relevant stakeholders to carry out thorough investigation as well as bring other sponsors of the act to book.
