The Defence Headquarters of Nigeria has hailed the arrest of Simon Ekpa, a pro-Biafra agitator, by the Finnish Central Criminal Police.
Ekpa, a dual citizen of Nigeria and Finland, was detained on Thursday alongside four others on suspicion of terrorism-related activities.
This development marks a significant breakthrough in the fight against terrorism, according to the Nigerian military.
Edward Buba, the Director of Defence Media Operations, and Tukur Gusau, the Director of Defence Information, issued statements applauding the arrest.
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, expressed satisfaction with the arrest. Brigadier General Gusau stated that the CDS views this as a step towards Ekpa’s potential extradition to Nigeria to face justice.
“CDS (Musa) is happy with his arrest in Finland in the hope this will be a step towards his extradition to Nigeria so that he will face justice,” Gusau stated.
Major General Buba emphasized the international community’s growing cooperation with Nigeria in combating terrorism. “The CDS has always called for the arrest of Simon Ekpa following his deep involvement in fueling terrorism in South-east Nigeria. We are delighted about his arrest and glad that the international community is partnering with Nigeria in our fight against terrorism,” Buba said.
Simon Ekpa is the leader of Autopilot, a faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The IPOB movement seeks to create an independent state of Biafra, encompassing Nigeria’s South-east and parts of the South-south regions.
Operating from Finland, Ekpa has been linked to escalating violence and insecurity in Nigeria’s southeast. He is notorious for issuing “sit-at-home” orders, during which residents who defy the directive face attacks or even death at the hands of armed enforcers.
Ekpa has also leveraged social media platforms, particularly X (formerly Twitter), to push his separatist agenda, spread misinformation, issue illegal directives, and solicit financial contributions.
On 3 July 2023, Ekpa called for financial support from 100 individuals to fund the Biafra movement with $10,000 monthly, promising the realization of Biafra by the end of the year.
The Nigerian government has made multiple unsuccessful attempts to extradite Ekpa to face prosecution. He is among the wanted terrorist as listed by Nigeria Army.
In June 2024, General Musa accused the Finnish government and the European Union of shielding Ekpa and allowing him to operate unchecked despite his alleged involvement in promoting terrorism in Nigeria.
With his recent arrest, the Defence Headquarters sees this as a turning point, reflecting global acknowledgment of the security challenges in Nigeria’s South-east and the need for collective efforts to address them.
