As Nigerians await the extradition of Simon Ekpa, the self-acclaimed Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government in-Exile, the Federal Government has disclosed that the arrest of the suspect and four others linked to terrorism in Southeast states were achieved after many failed attempts.
The apex government noted that he and others were nabbed after it sustained diplomatic pressure on Finnish government.
Ekpa’s arrest came months after his home was raised by the Finnish security agencies to authenticate the allegations made against him by the Nigerian government.
After ransacking his home, the Finnish security released Ekpa over lack of evidence linking him to the allegations raised by the Federal Government.
In a statement released on Friday, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, the government attributed the arrest to persistent pressure.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to confirm the arrest of Mr Simon Njoku Ekpa, a Nigerian-Finnish citizen and prominent leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), by Finnish authorities on Thursday, November 21, 2024.
The ministry said it would continue to track the progress of Ekpa’s legal case, emphasising the importance of the proceedings in addressing the influence of IPOB and transnational actors on Nigeria’s national security.
“He was charged with inciting terrorism and promoting violence. The Finnish District Court of Päijät-Häme ruled to detain him on probable cause for publicly inciting crimes with terrorist intent.
“The Ministry wishes to affirm that the arrest of Mr Simon Ekpa is a significant development in addressing the activities of IPOB, and also neutralising the influence of transnational actors and their impact on our national security.
“The Ministry will continue to monitor the legal proceedings and provide further updates as the case progresses,” the statement added.
The Finnish District Court of Päijät-Häme has ruled to keep him in detention on probable cause, citing his alleged involvement in inciting violence through social media.
