The Nigerian military has called for the extradition of Simon Ekpa, leader of a faction of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who was arrested by Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
Ekpa, who was remanded in prison by the district court of Päijät-Häme in Finland for “spreading terrorist propaganda on social media,” is accused by the Nigerian government of leading violent pro-Biafra secessionist campaigns in the South-east, leading to the loss of several lives and crippling the economy of the region.
According to a BBC report yesterday, the self-declared Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government in Exile was arrested alongside four others linked to deadly violence in southeastern Nigeria.
A statement from Finland’s Central Criminal Police, which confirmed the arrests, did not specifically mention his name but gave matching descriptions. The statement further revealed that the primary suspect, a Finish-Nigerian in the Lahti municipality, was detained “on suspicion of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent,” while the four others are suspected of financing these activities.
“All five suspects were arrested earlier this week. International cooperation has been conducted during the preliminary investigation,” the statement added.
We’re pleased with his arrest – Military
Reacting, the Nigerian military hailed the arrest through its Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba.
Buba welcomed the international cooperation in the fight against terrorism, noting that the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, had long called for Ekpa’s arrest due to his role in fuelling terrorism in the South-east.
“We are pleased with his arrest and grateful for the support of the international community,” Buba added.
On his part, Brigadier-General Tukur Gusau, Director of Defence Information, emphasised that the next step would be to push for Ekpa’s extradition to Nigeria.
“The CDS is happy with his arrest in Finland, and we hope this is a step towards his extradition so he can face justice in Nigeria,” Gusau said.
Efforts to obtain a formal statement from the Nigerian government regarding the arrest were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report. Kamardeen Ogundele, media aide to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, earlier yesterday assured that a response would be provided but had not done so at press time.
Ekpa’s rise to prominence
Ekpa rose to prominence in July 2021 after the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB’s leader, by the Nigerian government. He has since claimed responsibility for several atrocities carried out by gunmen in the South-east, including the killing of four police operatives in Owerri, Imo State, in July.
Based in Finland with dual nationality, Ekpa also founded the Biafra Defence Forces and the Biafra Liberation Army, both of which are armed militant wings of his Autopilot IPOB faction. These groups have been linked to several killings and violence in the region.
Ekpa, who often refers to Nigeria’s security forces as “terrorists,” tweeted about the killing of the police operatives in Imo, claiming that “The Biafra Defence Forces, Owerri Command, has recovered weapons from the terrorists after neutralising them in numbers.”
Calls for repatriation
Various individuals and organisations have called for Ekpa’s repatriation to Nigeria, particularly due to his alleged role in the sit-at-home campaign, which has disrupted economic activities in the South-east and led to the loss of lives.
On July 21, 2024, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State urged members of the House of Representatives to consider repatriating Ekpa to face prosecution.
A month earlier, the CDS, Gen. Musa, accused the Finnish government and the European Union of blocking efforts to repatriate Ekpa.
Last year, the Nigerian Senate urged the federal government to collaborate with Finland on the matter, while the apex Igbo sociocultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, also called for swift action.
In August, Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Elina Valtonen, during a visit to Nigeria, revealed that the Finnish government was acting on Nigeria’s complaint against Ekpa. “We have taken this up and discussed it with the Nigerian authorities… and the entire process is within our judicial system,” Valtonen said.
Daily Trust reports that the sit-at-home imposed on the people of the South-east had led to the killing of hundreds of people.
Ekpa had been vocal in calling for the killing of those who violated the order.
Reactions on social media
Ekpa’s arrest has sparked heated debate on social media, with his name trending on X (formerly Twitter). Some see the arrest as a significant blow to the separatist group, while others believe it will not halt the agitation.
One user, @McGingerIbeneme, tweeted, “The arrest of Simon Ekpa would not be impactful if his funders are not rounded up around Europe and America and charged with terrorism financing. All the …funding the mayhem in South-east need to be jailed. We need to petition Finnish government and Interpol.”
Human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, also commented: “Simon Ekpa has been arrested in Finland on suspicion of terrorism. He should give account of his actions. You cannot stay in a foreign country and sponsor or instigate terrorism and killings in Nigeria. I wonder why it took so long for him to be taken into custody.”
Former Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode praised the arrest, stating on X, “Many innocent Nigerians were killed on his orders and as a consequence of his foul and divisive rhetoric. I hope this serves as a lesson to others in our nation who believe that division, violence & terror are the only way forward and who have no respect for the sanctity of human life.”
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