Simon Ekpa has been formally removed as the head of the Biafra Republic Government in Exile (BRGIE) following his detention in Finland.
The development was confirmed in a statement issued on Thursday, the 15th of January, 2026, announcing Ogechukwu Nkere as the new Prime Minister of the group, replacing Simon Ekpa.
According to the statement, Nkere emerged as Prime Minister after a unanimous decision by the BRGIE cabinet during a meeting held on the 14th of January, 2026.
“Ogechukwu Nkere elected Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government in Exile (BRGIE).
“On January 14, 2026, the Honorable Ogechukwu Nkere was unanimously elected by the cabinet of the Biafra Republic Government in Exile (BRGIE) to serve as Prime Minister, succeeding Simon Ekpa Njoku, who was relieved of his position by the cabinet,” the statement reads.
Before his confirmation as Prime Minister, Nkere had been serving in an acting capacity since December 2024, a role he assumed after Ekpa’s detention in Finland.
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His leadership history within BRGIE also includes serving as the group’s finance minister, as well as acting as its long-standing representative in Washington, DC. In that role, he worked closely with BRGIE lobbyists and engaged directly with officials of the United States government.
The statement further disclosed that during his time in the U.S., Nkere held meetings with top American political figures, including Senator Ted Cruz and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, who is second in line in the U.S. presidential order of succession.
Recall that Ekpa, a Biafran separatist, was sentenced in Finland on the 1st of September, 2025.