The Finnish government through their Minister for Foreign Affairs has confirmed that it is taking legal actions against a prominent pro-Biafran agitator linked to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Simon Ekpa, over his involvement in secessionist activities in Nigeria’s South-East region.
Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Elina Valtonen, made this disclosure during a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday.
Valtonen, who was in Nigeria along with her Nordic counterparts, revealed that the case involving Ekpa is now being handled by Finnish courts, following a report by the Nigerian government.
“The case of Ekpa, whose activities were reported to the Finnish government by the Nigerian authorities, is now before Finnish courts,” Valtonen stated during the conference.
Simon Ekpa, who refers to himself as the Prime Minister of Biafra, has been a vocal advocate for sit-at-home orders in the South-East, despite the IPOB leadership suspending the practice.
His controversial actions have drawn significant attention, particularly in the lead-up to Nigeria’s presidential and national assembly elections in February 2023.
Minister Valtonen’s visit to Nigeria was part of a broader delegation of Nordic ministers from Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Denmark. The delegation’s visit aimed to strengthen trade ties and address issues such as countering violent extremism in West Africa and achieving sustainable development goals.
