Simon Ekpa, the self-proclaimed Prime Minister of Biafra in Exile had planned to declare the Independence of the Republic of Biafra from Nigeria on December 2.
But few days before what would have been a historic event for the secessionist Indigenous People of Biafa, IPOB faction led by Ekpa, the man who has been accused of causing the wanton killings and abduction in the south east has landed in Finland Prison.
On Thursday, the Finish police arrested Ekpa alongside other four accomplices on the allegations of promoting and financing terrorism in ‘south east Nigeria’. he will be charged to court soon, the Finish police said in a statement.
In the statement published on its website, the Central Criminal Police in Finland said it arrested five persons on suspicion of terrorist crimes.
The police said the main suspect was arrested “on suspicion of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent”, while four others were arrested “for financing a terrorist crime”.
The statement read: “The detention demands are related to the preliminary investigation, in which a Finnish citizen of Nigerian background, born in the 1980s, is suspected of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent.
“The police suspect that the man has promoted his efforts from Finland by means that have led to violence against civilians and authorities as well as other crimes in the region of South-Eastern Nigeria.”
Ekpa’s arrest yesterday would be the second time in Finland. In the earlier arrest months ago, over issues, allegedly, unrelated to Terrorism, he was released hours later.
His arrest, according to those watching what’s happening in the south east, could not have come at a better time, considering the jubilation in the region since yesterday.
Others however said, his arrest has been followed by an uneasy calm in the region, particularly among his supporters who are apprehensive of what will happen to him next and the future of IPOB as a whole.
Reacting to his arrest, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Christopher Musa welcome the development by calling on the Finish government to repatriate him to face trail.
Analysts however insist that he can only be sent back home to face trial, if Nigeria and Finland have signed a repatriation treaty.
Scores of people, including soldiers and policemen have been killed in the region by IPOB militants since Ekpa surreptitiously took over the leadership of the secessionist group following the detention of Nnamdi Kanu, the defacto leader of IPOB, by the federal government.
Kanu is currently facing trial on terrorism related charges following his arrest in Kenya in 2021. Diplomatic efforts by well meaning Nigerians to get him released from custody, including a court order to that effect has been widely rebuffed by the government which insist that he must face trial.
IPOB has however denied that Ekpa is a member of the group. “Simon Ekpa has never and is not an IPOB member, let alone being a leader in IPOB,” Emma Powerful, IPOB spokesman said in a statement on Friday.
Amidst the jubilation that has greeted Ekpa’s arrest, not a few believe that calm will return to the region, at least for the moment, considering that the group is expected to lack coordination in the absence of their leader.
For instance, some say it will be impossible to issue the weekly stay-at-home in the region now that Ekpa is in detention, and nobody is clearly taking up his role.
Recall that Kanu had in a July 2023 letter instructed Ekpa to end the sit-at-home, following the anger from leaders in the region that the order was hurting the south east economically aside the attendant loss of lives.
Ekpa had vowed, last week, not to obey Kanu’s directive to him.
“I won’t listen to Nnamdi Kanu’s instructions to end sit-at-home. “I will only listen to him not just when he becomes a freeman, but he has to come to Finland to tell me face to face,” the pro-Biafra leader said.
Ekpa entered into national consciousness in Nigeria after the rendition of the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was arrested. That was when he introduced himself as a disciple of the detained IPOB Leader, and gave the impression that he had become the leader with Kanu in the custody of the Nigerian Government and being prosecuted in Court.
He soon fell out with the IPOB Leadership over his conduct which IPOB said ran contrary to their ideals. He has disagreed with IPOB on a couple of issues, including the cancellation by IPOB, of the weakly sit-at-home order which has brought the economy of the South-east to its knees. While IPOB said stop, Ekpa said continue, and atimes, imposed it for days on end.
IPOB has since expelled him from the organisation, and holds him responsible for the inexplicable and unprecedented blood bath and mindless destructions in the South-east.
.
Discover more from The Source
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
