The Finnish government has reassured Nigeria that the legal proceedings involving Simon Ekpa, a controversial leader within the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), will soon reach a conclusion. Finland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Elina Valtonen, made this commitment during a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday.
Simon Ekpa, currently residing in Finland, leads a faction of IPOB known as Autopilot, which has been advocating for the creation of an independent Biafran state that would include Nigeria’s South East and parts of the South-South regions. Ekpa is also accused of playing a significant role in inciting violence in Nigeria, particularly through the enforcement of a controversial sit-at-home order and other attacks targeting security forces.
Why Simon Ekpa Was Detained And Released By Finnish Police
On Tuesday, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, engaged in high-level discussions with the Foreign Ministers of Sweden, Finland, Iceland, and representatives from Norway and Denmark. The delegation included Tobias Billström, Sweden’s Minister for Foreign Affairs; Elina Valtonen, Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs; Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir, Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs; Bjørg Sandkjær, Norway’s State Secretary for International Development; and Eva Marie Frida Barløse, Denmark’s Under Secretary for Foreign Policy.
After the discussions, Ambassador Tuggar confirmed that the issue of Simon Ekpa was a key focus during his talks with Valtonen. He emphasized, “It was a priority. There is no way Nigeria would engage with Finland without raising the issue of Simon Ekpa vociferously.”
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