By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has denied reports in which he was quoted as saying that the Federal Government has began the process of extradition of Simon Ekpa, a factional leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB from Finland to Nigeria for trial.
Fagbemi said the reports were misrepresentation of the comments he made at a stakeholders’ engagement held on Thursday in Abuja.
The AGF who said this in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Communication and Publicity, Kamarudeen Ogundele, on Friday also urged the media to exercise caution in reporting on the matter related to Ekpa and not to indulge in publication of speculations.
According to the statement, Fagbemi had in answer to a question at the event explained that the Nigerian government was in talks with Finnish authorities to ensure that Ekpa, who is currently facing trial in Finland, is held accountable for his actions.
The statement read, “The attention of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has been drawn to media reports where he was erroneously reported to have said that the federal government had commenced an extradition process against Simon Ekpa.
“The report is untrue and a complete departure from what the AGF said at the Stakeholders/Citizen Engagement Forum held on Thursday in Abuja.
“Ekpa, a leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), is currently standing trial in Finland for charges filed against him by the Finnish government.”
“To set the record straight, what the AGF said during the question and answer session was that the Nigerian government had been engaging with Finnish authorities to ensure that Simon Ekpa is held accountable for his actions.
“He explained that since the crimes committed by Simon Ekpa were cross-border in nature, the Nigerian government eagerly awaits the outcome of the proposed trial in Finland to have an informed decision on the next step to take,” the statement added.
Simon Ekpa, a Nigerian-Finnish citizen and prominent leader of the IPOB was arrested in November 2024 by the Finnish authorities for allegedly inciting terrorism and promoting violence in Nigeria
Ekpa, was reported to have in 2022 declared activation of Biafra Government in exile and himself leader in 2023 while in exile.
The Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed his arrest.
“The ministry wishes to confirm the arrest of Ekpa, a Nigerian-Finnish citizen and prominent leader of the proscribed IPOB, by Finnish authorities on Thursday, Nov. 21.
“He was charged with inciting terrorism and promoting violence. The Finnish District Court of Päijät-Häme ruled to detain him on probable cause for publicly inciting crimes with terrorist intent.
“The Finnish authorities alleged that Ekpa used social media platforms to spread separatist propaganda, incite violence and encourage illegal actions, which had caused significant disruptions in the South-East of Nigeria.
“Finnish investigators had also linked him to incidents of violence in Nigeria, which were believed to have been fueled by his online activities.
“The arrest of Ekpa follows sustained diplomatic pressure by the Nigerian government on Finland, to take action against his activities, linked to violence and instability in the South-East of Nigeria.”
It explained that the request for action featured during high-level engagements between the two countries.
It described the arrest of Ekpa as a significant development in tackling the activities of IPOB and neutralising the influence of transnational actors, and their impact on national security.
“The ministry will continue to monitor the legal proceedings and provide further updates as the case progresses,” said the Ministry.
