Mr Ekpa's hiring of the US lobbyist is coming amidst calls for the Biafra agitator to be repatriated to Nigeria for prosecution over alleged terrorism.
Simon Ekpa, a controversial Biafra agitator, has hired an American lobbying firm, Moran Global Strategies (MGS), to advance agitation for the independent state of Biafra, PREMIUM TIMES reports.
Mr Ekpa, based in Finland, heads Autopilot, a faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
IPOB is a separatist group agitating for the creation of an independent state of Biafra from south-east and some parts of south-south Nigeria.
The two regions are usually called "Biafra" or sometimes "Biafra land" by IPOB and other separatist groups in the area.
Mr Ekpa, a Nigerian-Finnish citizen, often addresses himself as the Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government In-Exile (BRGIE).
Hiring of US firm for Biafra cause
The lobbying firm, Moran Global Strategies, is owned by a former US lawmaker, James Moran.
Mr Ekpa applied in June 2024 to engage Moran Global Strategies for their services, a letter of their agreement exclusively obtained by PREMIUM TIMES showed.
The lobbying firm, in the letter dated 10 June 2024 and signed by Mr Moran, its founder, assured Mr Ekpa that they would "devote our best efforts to representing Biafra" in line with the contract agreement.
Mr Ekpa, on behalf of the BRGIE, signed the letter of agreement with the MGS on 12 June 2024.
Major roles
The MGS, according to the contract agreement, will help Mr Ekpa, addressed as prime minister of the BRGIE, to convince the US government to support the secession of Biafra from Nigeria.
"Under terms of this letter agreement, MGS agrees to provide Biafra with strategic advice and facilitate interaction with appropriate members of the Executive and Legislative Branches of the US government, as well as third-party interests.
"MGS will support Biafra's fundamental goal to encourage the United States government to support Biafran independence and to recognise Biafra as the only entity which represents Biafra," part of the agreement reads.
"MGS will promote the narrative to US governmental and non-governmental stakeholders that Biafra, once an established, independent state, with the Biafra's stewardship, will be a close ally of the United States, as well as a bulwark against Islamic terrorism in the region."
Part of the role of the MGS, as stated in the agreement, is to advise the US government and private sectors concerning the challenges faced by the people of Biafra.
The lobbying firm will equally share the arguments with the government about why Biafra should be recognised as an independent state from Nigeria.
"MGS will also educate US and non-US stakeholders on issues of concerns pertaining to the Government of Nigeria, including, but not limited to human rights abuses, religious freedom issues, including persecution of Nigeria's Christians, increasing Islamic fundamentalism within the Nigerian government, the Nigerian government's alignment with US adversaries, and broader security concerns, among other topics," the agreement further read.
It said the US government would be encouraged to engage BRGIE directly and through advocacy by the US Congress and others, including faith-based and human rights organisations and think tanks.
To Work with US government
The letter of the agreement also indicated that the MGS will work with Mr Ekpa's BRGIE to secure an audience and interaction with the leadership of various organs of the US government and committees.
Some of the organs of the US government and committees include House and Senate Leadership, House Foreign Affairs and Senate Foreign Relations Committees, House and Senate Appropriations Committees and House and Senate Armed Services Committees.
Others are Relevant House and Senate Congressional Caucus organisations and working groups, senior State Department, National Security Council, and White House officials, as well as the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom.
The lobby group will also seek an audience with prominent religious, ethnic, and civil society organisations, human rights organisations, media outlets and the Biafra diaspora in the US.
Cost of contract
Mr Ekpa's BRGIE will pay MGS a monthly fee of $10,000 (about N15.8 million) for services provided, according to the contract agreement.
The document shows that the contract commenced on 15 June 2024 and would be concluded on 14 June 2025.
Monthly fees would be billed in advance on the first day of each month and due on or before the 15th day.
The contract is renewable upon expiration on an annual basis on the same terms, it said.
Terrorism allegations
Mr Ekpa has been linked to some terror attacks in Nigeria's South-east.
In July, the Biafra agitator claimed responsibility for the killing of four police operatives and a woman by gunmen in Imo State.
His hiring of the US lobbying firm comes amid calls for him to be repatriated to Nigeria for prosecution.
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For instance, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, on 21 July, asked some members of the House of Representatives to consider repatriating Mr Ekpa to Nigeria to face prosecution.
The Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa, last June, accused the Finnish government and the European Union of blocking the repatriation of the Biafra agitator.
Last year, the Nigerian Senate asked the federal government to collaborate with the Finnish government to extradite Mr Ekpa for prosecution.
Finnish govt's response to request for Ekpa's repatriation
In February 2023, Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Finnish Ambassador to Nigeria, Leena Pylvanainen, over a threat by Mr Ekpa to disrupt Nigeria's 2023 general elections.
Geoffrey Onyeama, the then Nigerian minister of foreign affairs, met with the Finnish ambassador and asked for the Finnish government's cooperation in repatriating Mr Ekpa.
However, Mrs Pylvanainen said that although the Finnish government was concerned about the situation, Mr Ekpa's rights as a Finnish citizen needed to be considered.
"So, everything has to obviously be done according to Finnish legislation," she stated.
