Simon Ekpa has been removed as the leader of the Biafra Republic Government in Exile (BRGIE) following his continued detention in Finland.
In a statement released on Thursday, BRGIE announced that Ogechukwu Nkere has been appointed as the new Prime Minister of the group. Nkere was unanimously elected by the BRGIE cabinet on January 14, 2026, replacing Ekpa, who was formally relieved of his position.
The statement confirmed that Nkere had been serving as Acting Prime Minister since December 2024, shortly after Ekpa was detained in Finland. Before then, he held several key roles within the organization, including Finance Minister and BRGIE’s long-time representative in Washington, DC.
During his time in the United States, Nkere reportedly engaged with top U.S. political figures and government officials, working alongside BRGIE lobbyists to advance the group’s interests.
Ekpa, a Biafran separatist figure, was sentenced in Finland on September 1, 2025, a development that led to leadership changes within the exile government.
