Simon Ekpa, the self-proclaimed Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government in Exile (BRGIE) and a prominent figure within the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has taken legal action against his former ally, Ngozi Orabueze, in a U.S. court.
Ekpa filed the lawsuit at the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, seeking punitive damages, legal fees, and other financial penalties. The legal action comes amid claims that Orabueze and others attempted to hijack the BRGIE by creating a parallel faction and stealing the organization’s members’ database.
Lawsuit Details and Accusations
According to Peoples Gazette, the suit was filed by U.S.-based attorney Arman Dabiri, who claims to be representing both BRGIE and Ekpa. Orabueze is named as the first defendant among several others, including Ada Ezeh, Diana Emeh Solomon Nkwocha, Ugbonna Christian Olejemah, Uchenna Objijiaku, and Ijeoma Eze.
The complaint accuses the group of:
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Attempting a hostile takeover of BRGIE,
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Creating a rival government-in-exile,
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Stealing IPOB’s internal database and assets,
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Engaging in fraud and organizational sabotage.
The internal crisis reportedly began in December 2024, leading to a deepening rift within the exiled Biafra movement.
Ekpa’s Legal and Criminal Woes
Ekpa, who is currently facing trial in Finland for allegedly inciting violence with terrorist intent, remains in pre-trial detention. Finnish authorities arrested him earlier for his online campaigns and calls for civil disobedience in Nigeria’s Southeast region.
Despite his legal troubles abroad, Ekpa continues to assert control over BRGIE operations and has now resorted to U.S. litigation to reclaim what he says was illegally taken by internal dissenters
