…“He’ll be extradited to Nigeria” – DHQ
The self acclaimed leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Simon Ekpa, has been arrested by law enforcement in Finland.
According to reports, Ekpa was subsequently sent to prison by the district court of Päijät-Häme 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.
A citizen of Finland and Nigeria, Ekpa has described himself as leader of the separatist IPOB group since Nnamdi Kanu’s incarceration.
According to the Finnish Police, Ekpa’s activities and social media rhetoric may have fanned the flames of violence in the south-east region of Nigeria. “He carries out these activities from his social media channels”, said Detective Chief Inspector of the NBI, Otto Hiltunen.
Using his social media channels, Ekpa had directed Igbos not to participate in Nigeria’s 2023 general election. In February 2023, Ekpa was arrested by the Police at his residence in Lahti, but was released after hours of questioning.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Defence Headquarters has announced that Simon Ekpa, the self-proclaimed prime minister of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), will be extradited to Nigeria to face charges.
This was disclosed in a brief statement issued by the Director of Defence Information, on behalf of the Chief of Defence Staff, General Chris Musa, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau.
According to Gusau,“CDS is happy with his arrest in Finland, with the hope this will be a step towards his extradition to Nigeria so that he will face justice”.
