The Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in tweet on Thursday debunked giving a purported loan of $57.5 billion to Biafra government.
On Wednesday, a post from Simon Ekpa, head of Biafra group living in Finland had appeared on X stating: “the World Bank and IMF have agreed to loan the sum of $57.5 billion to Biafra Republic Government in exile to form our government after December 2nd 2024 after declaration of Biafra. I thank our sister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for helping me to facilitate the loan.”
However the WTO DG in clearing her name refuted being a part of such plan and warning whomever is using her name for such, to desist, her post read: “I know no sensible person will believe what is contained in the outrageous tweet below but in these troubled times it is important to underscore that the statement is false. Again I enjoin all those seeking to misuse my name to desist!”
Ekpa claimed that he didn’t respond to the now deleted post because it was photo shopped and was intended to incriminate him, but had to respond when the head of WTO replied.
“I didn’t respond because it was too cheap and i didn’t want to validate the nonentities that photo shopped it, but when i saw that @NOIweala debunked it, i needed to respond.”
He claimed the post that carried his handle wasn’t from him, though he confirmed knowing the perpetrator while subtly slamming Okonjo-Iweala for her response to the loan post, despite having kept quiet about happenings in the East.
“Dear Madam, i never tweeted such, it is even surprising that you can tweet this because your name was mentioned, we have been tweeting about the Nigeria terrorism against your people and you never responded nor showed any remorse.
“Here you are, defending what nonentities did with your name, but have been mute about all the killings by the government you served. I congratulate you for always defending yourself and your integrity, even when they are photo shopped.
“It shows you are really a mother. Thank you for defending yourself but i never tweeted such thing, it is false and fake.”
The back and forth between the two had generated comments and post from the social media with Ekpa emphasizing that the head of WTO posts has never generated much engagement before and the alleged photo shopped post has reminded people who had forgotten about the Biafra movement of it.
He stated that such occurrence had happened in 2023 with the Minister of Finland before it was debunked.
“Let it be on record that none of @NOIweala tweet has attracted traffic like debunking this Simon Ekpa photoshopped tweet. What does that tell you? Go through her X page and be the judge, 1.2M views in 7hours thats the highest in her entire life on Twitter and X.
“The criminals wanted to blackmail me with @NOIweala photo shopped tweet, but everything is working against them. Now those following her will go and check Biafra Government. In 2023 they did the same with the Prime Minister of Finland, of which the Finnish embassy debunked the letter. Biafrans, remain focused, we are winning, no propaganda will move us.” He declared.
However, some set of the social users are of the view that the Dr. Okonjo-Iweala shouldn’t have responded to such post as it reeked of unfounded lies, while it has on the other hand generated the views and talk of Biafra like Ekpa wanted.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is a separatist group in Nigeria that aims to restore the defunct Republic of Biafra, a country which seceded from Nigeria in 1967 prior to the Nigerian Civil War and was subsequently dissolved following its defeat in 1970.
It is associated with Igbo nationalism, which supports the recreation of an independent state of Biafra. It emerged in 1999 as nonviolent nationalist group
The creation of Biafra has been a long-cherished dream of many Igbo people who want the south-east, and part of the Niger Delta, to be their independent homeland.
Nigeria’s government has proscribed Ipob and a court has designated it a “terrorist” organisation. Government critics say the attempt to destroy the group through military force has added to the suffering of civilians who have seen their villages raided by troops, and young men being detained or killed on the mere suspicion of being supporters of the movement.
The group has split into feuding factions – some of which are more violent and less disciplined, causing Ipob to lose the support of many Igbos who had backed it when it was formed.

By Adeoye Olorunseun Elizabeth
adeoye.o@thesubstancenews.com
info@thesubstancenews.com