By Hosea Parah, Abuja

The Nigerian Defence Headquarters in Abuja 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 related to his activities.

Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, the Director of Defence Information, issued a brief statement on the matter, expressing satisfaction with Ekpa’s arrest. He stated that the Chief of Defence Staff, General Chris Musa, was pleased with Ekpa’s detention in Finland, viewing it as a positive step towards his extradition to Nigeria for trial.

Ekpa was arrested following an order from the district court in Lahti, Finland, which remanded him on probable cause for public incitement to commit crimes with terrorist intent in Nigeria. The court’s investigation revealed that Ekpa had used social media platforms to promote separatist propaganda linked to IPOB, which advocates for the secession of southeastern Nigeria. The offences reportedly date back to August 23, 2021.

In addition to the charges related to terrorism, Finnish authorities have previously investigated Ekpa for alleged financial crimes, including the collection of funds through questionable means. Otto Hiltunen, a crime commissioner with the Central Criminal Police, remarked that Ekpa’s activities, which included promoting violence against civilians and authorities in southeastern Nigeria, were primarily carried out via his social media channels.