The arrest by Finnish authorities of a popular pro-Biafra separatist agitator, Simon Ekpa, in his home in faraway Lahti, was met with joy and relief in many parts of the South-East and Nigeria as a whole.
However, Ekpa’s eventual arrest was the result of relentless pressure from the Federal Government and Igbo leaders on the Finnish government over his incisive comments and sit-at-home orders to the people of the South-East.
Thousands of Nigerians from all over the world signed a petition urging the Finnish government, the Nigerian government, and the European Union to arrest Ekpa, the factional Indigenous People of Biafra leader behind the South-East sit-in order.
Ekpa, a self-proclaimed disciple of the IPOB’s detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, had repeatedly ordered the people of the South-East to observe a sit-in and boycott the country’s general election beginning this Saturday.
His repeated sit-at-home orders sparked riots, bloodshed, and the destruction of lives and property throughout the region by the enforcers.
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However, the Igbo community in Finland condemned Ekpa’s “seditious statements” in January and urged the Finnish authorities to restrain the separatist agitator.
The Igbo community, in a statement signed by one Kingsley Orji, urged the governments of Finland and Nigeria to launch an immediate investigation into Ekpa to bring him to justice.
“There is no place on the planet where people can simply hide, incite violence, and escape punishment,” the statement said in part. As a result, the Igbo community in Finland has issued the following call to action:
“That Simon Ekpa is immediately restrained, investigated, and made to face the full wrath of the law both in Finland and in Nigeria.
“Based on (the) Belgian law on universal jurisdiction, the Finnish authorities should take jurisdiction right away and stop Mr. Simon Ekpa from continuing to incite violence against life and people, murder of any kind, mutilation, cruelty, and violations of the right to life.
Relevant authorities should use all diplomatic channels to prevent Mr. Simon Ekpa and his group from causing further harm to people and property.
The Nigerian government provided the most significant boost to the advocacy when it brought its full diplomatic weight to bear on the issue.
Conclusion
Nevertheless, It’s important to get to know that these elections are being threatened by the actions of someone and that something needs to be done immediately, to address the situation.
As far as I know, he is a dual citizen of Nigeria and Finland, and he is thus, as you correctly stated, protected and safe in his home in Finland.
Source: PunchÂ
