One of the leaders for the agitation and declaration of Biafra Republic from Nigeria and the Prime Minister of Biafra Government in Exile, Simon Ekpa on Tuesday in a video broadcast released the map of the proposed 40 states of Biafra Republic with the declaration and naming of Ekpoma, Auchi and Ehor communities which are the Administrative headquarters of Esan West, Etsako West and Uhunmwonde local government areas of Edo State as Biafra land.

Many historians have agreed that Igbo speaking people dominant in some few communities in Edo State were brought into the communities like Igbanke community often described as “Igbo Akiri” by the detained Leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu as slaves by Bini slave raiders. Meaning, the lands were probably already the ancestral home of Edo People before the 15, 16 centuries when Bini slave raiders brought in people from afar to the border towns.

Nnamdi Kanu in an online interview conducted by Dele Momodu, the founder of Ovation Magazine, years ago before his rearrest by Nigeria Security Operatives said Biafra land starts and ends where women tie two pieces of wrapper.

Nnamdi Kanu refused to be specific about the map of the proposed Biafra Land as requested by the Journalist, Dele Momodu, but insisted that Biafra Land cut across 13 states in Nigeria with specific mentioning of Edo State, Benue State, Kogi State amongst others.

Simon Ekpa while unveiling the proposed map of the Biafra Republic, said, December 2, 2024 have been fixed for referendum. Adding that after the referendum, there maybe more years of battle before the actualization of the Biafra Republic.

In the map and listing of the 40 states of the proposed Biafra Republic, Simon Ekpa named the states, capital cities and former Nigeria states were the Biafra Territories were created from as follow:

40 UnITED StATES Of BiAFRA:
StATE, CaPITAL, FoRMER StATE

1 AbA, AbA, AbIA.
2 AdOKA, KoNSHISHA, LoWER BeNUE.
3 AfEMAI IgODOMIGODO, AuCHI, EdO.
4 AgBOR, AgBOR, DeLTA.
5 AhOADA, AhOADA, RiVERS.
6 AkPAKIP OrO, OrON, AkWA IbOM.
7 AlANSO, NsUKKA, EnUGU.

8 AlAUDO, ObASI NnUNNU, AbIA.

9 AnIOMA, AsABA, DeLTA.
10 BrANEM, WaBISE, BaYELSA.
11 CaLABAR, CaLABAR, CrOSS RiVER.
12 EbONYI, AbAKALIKI, EbONYI.
13 EbUBE, EbUBE.
14 EdDA, EkOLI, EbONYI.
15 EnUGU, EnUGU, EnUGU.
16 EpIE, YeNOGOA, BaYELSA.
17 EsAN IgODOMIGODO, EkPOMA, EDO.
18 EzEANI, UgWUoCHA, EnUGU.
19 IdEN IGODOMIGODO, EhOR, EDO.
20 IdUNG IbON, UyO, AkWA IbOM.
21 IgALA, EkPA, KOGI.
22 IgBANI, BoNNY, BaYELSA.
23 IkEMBA, AwKA, AnAMBRA.
24 IkOM, ObUBRA/BoJE, CrOSS RiVER.
25 IkWUMESIA, UmUAHIA, AbIA.
26 ItTAI, IkOT EkPENE, AkWA IbOM.
27- IwERE, SaPELE, DeLTA.
28 WhUNROHA, IgWEOCHA, RIVERS.
29 OdUMEGWU, UgA, AnAMBRA.

30 OgBIA/IzON, OGBIA, BaYELSA.
31 OgOJA, ObUDU, CrOSS RiVER.
32 OhABUENYI, MbANATO, EnUGU.
33 OhAUKWU, EzAMGBO, EbONYI.
34 OkIGWE, OkIGWE, ImO.
35 OmAMBALA, OnITSHA, AnAMBRA.
36 OrLU, OrLU, ImO.
37 OwERRI, OwERRI, ImO.
38 QuA,  EkET, AkWA IbOM.
39 SoUTH AtLANTIC, SaGBAMA, BaYELSA.
40 UhROBO/IsOKO, UgHELI, DeLTA.

That aside, on June 5, 2017, a student historian, simply identified as Omoregie, posted a research project he conducted on the topic: The Origin Of Igbanke People In Edo State” on NairaLand and part of the historical study reads thus: “Igbanke is located in Orhionmwon Local Government Area, Edo state. Igbanke, by name is in Orhionmwon Local Government Area, but geographically, we do not share common boundary with any community in the council.

From the eastern flank, Igbanke shares common boundary with Mbiri, an Ika speaking community in Delta state, from west, it’s bounded by Oghada, another Ika speaking community in Uhunmwode Local Governemnt Area in Edo state.

In the northern sphere, Igbanke has boundary with Ekpon, Ika speaking community in Igueben Local Government Area while from the south, it has Agbor and Oza-Nogogo, Ika communities in Delta state as neighbours. Igbanke is in Edo south senatorial district. Igbanke people and community came under the Bini empire during the latter’s expansionist programme.

Most of other Ika speaking communities that were conquered by Bini empire same time with Igbanke have gotten their independence in Delta state while Igbanke, Oghada, Otobaye, Iru, Ekpon and Ogbeka etc are selfishly scattered in three local government areas”

Another historian posted as documented by Wikipedia that; “Igbanke consists of six villages which came together from the earliest times preceding the slave trade era. The people of Idumodin, Ake, Omolua, Oligie, Ottah, and Igbontor are the villages that came together to establish their settlement which over the years has been referred to as Igbanke”.

Wikipedia captured another historian saying; “The modern borders of Edo State encompasses regions that were formerly the site of various empires and kingdoms of the second dynasty formed in the 11th century AD, the Benin Empire”

Adding; “Edo State borders Kogi State to the north for 133 kilometres and across the Niger River for 81 kilometres to the northeast, Anambra State to the east for about four kilometres across the Niger River, Delta State to the southeast and south for 350 kilometres (218 miles), and Ondo State to the west”.

Simon Ekpa said, December 2, 2024 is the date to present its 40 United States of Biafra Map and issue a declaration.

According to him, this move is to further consolidate the actualisation of Biafra’s independence.

“The Biafra Government is presenting the complete map of Biafra in preparation for the 2nd of December 2024,” he stated.

There are reports that Ekpa recently engaged former United States lawmaker and lobbyist, James Moran, to help convince the US government to support Biafra’s secession from Nigeria.