Biafra Government-in-Exile Elects New Leader
The Biafra Republic Government in Exile (BRGIE) has announced the election of Hon. Ogechukwu Nkere as its new Prime Minister.
In an official press release issued on Thursday, the BRGIE disclosed that Nkere was unanimously elected by members of its cabinet on January 14, 2026, to lead the organization.
According to the statement, Nkere succeeds Hon. Simon Ekpa Njoku, who was relieved of his position by the cabinet.
“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,” the statement said.
The BRGIE noted that Nkere had already been playing a significant leadership role within the organization prior to his formal election.
“Hon. Nkere had previously served as Acting Prime Minister and de facto leader of the BRGIE since December 2024, following the detention of former Prime Minister Simon Ekpa in Finland,” the statement added.
Before assuming the role of Prime Minister, Nkere held several key positions within the group. He previously served as BRGIE’s Finance Minister and acted as the organization’s representative in Washington, DC, where he engaged with U.S. government officials alongside the group’s lobbyists.
Meanwhile, Simon Ekpa was convicted in 2025 by the Päijät-Häme District Court in Finland and sentenced to six years in prison on terrorism-related charges. The court found Ekpa guilty of inciting terrorism in Nigeria and promoting the secession of the Biafra region through illegal means between 2021 and 2024.
