Nigerian Govt Confirms Arrest of Biafra Agitator Simon Ekpa, Shares Action It’ll Take

Nigerian Govt Confirms Arrest of Biafra Agitator Simon Ekpa, Shares Action It’ll Take

  • The arrest of Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa has been confirmed by the federal government of Nigeria
  • This was as the FG commended the government of the Republic of Finland for the arrest of the Finland-based Biafra agitator who is popular on social media
  • A statement by the ministry of foreign affairs promised to continue to monitor the legal proceedings and provide further updates as the case progresses

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering public affairs.

FCT, Abuja - The federal government (FG) on Friday, November 22, attributed the arrest of Simon Ekpa, a controversial Biafra agitator, to sustained diplomatic pressure on Finland by Nigeria.

The FG — through the ministry of foreign affairs — disclosed this in a statement by Kimiebi Ebienfa, the acting spokesperson of the ministry. The statement was obtained by Legit.ng.

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Nigerian government confirms Simon Ekpa’s arrest
FG monitoring Simon Ekpa's legal proceedings in Finland. Photo credit: @Nwafresh
Source: Twitter

Recall earlier in the week, Ekpa, a Finland-based secessionist, was arrested by law enforcement agents in the northern European nation.

He was subsequently sent to prison by the district court of Paijat-Hame for “spreading terrorist propaganda on social media”.

Ekpa was said to have committed the crime in 2021 in Lahti municipality.

The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) also arrested four other men over alleged terrorist offences.

Reacting, Nigerian authorities hailed the development.

The statement from the ministry of foreign affairs in Abuja partly reads:

“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."

Nigeria vows to track Ekpa's case

Furthermore, the ministry stated that it would continue to track the progress of Ekpa’s legal case.

It emphasised the importance of the proceedings in addressing the influence of IPOB and transnational actors on Nigeria’s national security.

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Simon Ekpa: Panic in Igboland, Finland as search for sponsors of IPOB separatist begins

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Expert welcomes Simon Ekpa's arrest

Meanwhile, Timothy Avele, a security expert, has lauded the arrest of Ekpa by Finnish authorities. Avele described Ekpa as a “very controversial being" with no regard for the well-being of the Nigerian people.

Speaking to Legit.ng, Avele highlighted the crucial role of the government in identifying and dismantling the network of Ekpa’s supporters in the southeast.

He said:

“The government must try to identify Ekpa's foot soldiers in the southeast because if you don’t identify them and dislodge them, the securit situation may even get worse."

Avele added:

"The guy has carried out this activity, among other things, on his social media channels, so we welcome his arrest and subsequent detention."

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“Loudly quiet since Simon Ekpa's arrest”: Reno Omokri accuses Peter Obi of “strange quietness”

Simon Ekpa: Defence HQ speaks

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the defence headquarters (DHQ) applauded Ekpa's arrest by Finnish law enforcement agents.

DHQ spokesman Edward Buba, in a statement, noted that Ekpa’s arrest is an indication that the international community is in synergy with Nigeria in its efforts to fight terrorism.

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Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Ridwan Adeola avatar

Ridwan Adeola (Current Affairs Editor) Ridwan Adeola Yusuf is a content creator with more than nine years of experience, He is also a Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng. He holds a Higher National Diploma in Mass Communication from the Polytechnic Ibadan, Oyo State (2014). Ridwan previously worked at Africa Check, contributing to fact-checking research works within the organisation. He is an active member of the Academic Excellence Initiative (AEI). In March 2024, Ridwan completed the full Google News Initiative Lab workshop and his effort was recognised with a Certificate of Completion. Email: ridwan.adeola@corp.legit.ng.