Simon Ekpa: Why Tinubu Needs to Prioritise His Extradition
It was relieving, to say the least, when it was reported that Simon Ekpa, a self-proclaimed Prime Minister of Biafra in Exile, was detained by the Finnish police.
Along with four others, Ekpa, a Nigerian from Ebonyi State in the southeastern part of the country, was arrested and is now facing terrorism charges.
The Central Criminal Police disclosed that Ekpa is accused of using social media platforms to incite violence in Nigeria’s southeastern region, targeting civilians and authorities.
“The police suspect that the man has promoted his efforts from Finland with means that have led to violence against civilians and authorities, as well as other crimes in southeastern Nigeria,” said Otto Hiltunen, crime commissioner at the Central Criminal Police.
Although the arrest of this 39-year-old man took longer than expected, his activities from his safe haven in Finland have caused irreversible damage in Igbo land.
Ekpa came to the limelight after the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Kanu, a man who revived the unextinguishable flame of separation ingrained in the minds of Ndi Igbo since Odumegwu Chukwuemeka Ojukwu tried to lead them out of Nigeria—sparking a two-and-a-half-year war—became the new messiah believed to complete the task that Ojukwu failed to.
He gained followers, particularly through spreading conspiracy theories, first from his safe haven in the UK via Radio Biafra.
But unlike Ekpa, who employs the same propaganda of lies and fear, Kanu returned to Nigeria to lead the Biafra secession struggle from the forefront.
He was arrested in 2015, faced trials, and was released on bail with stringent conditions.
Kanu broke these conditions and began leading protest marches across Igbo land. He narrowly escaped death when the military invaded his home in Afara Ukwu, Umuahia, and went underground for months but resurfaced to resume the struggle.
If this could not be described as heroic, it at least shows bravery and the willingness to risk his comfort, abandon his family, and put his skin in the game for a cause.
None of these can be said about Ekpa, who uses X (formerly Twitter) to spread lies and deceive ignorant Igbos, who should know that the struggle for an independent Biafran state is effectively dead with someone like Ekpa leading it.
What Ekpa has truly achieved is chaos, death, hunger, and fear for the Igbo people—known for their resilience and entrepreneurial spirit.
Ekpa has brought insecurity and economic stagnation to the region.
For a Deep Dive Read: How IPOB’s sit-at-home order is impoverishing us. Young entrepreneurs in Southeast tell Neusroom
Every Monday, despite conflicting statements from Kanu’s faction of IPOB, Ekpa has instructed the continuation of the sit-at-home orders—a practice that costs the region N4.618 trillion annually, according to some estimates.
To grasp the extent of the sit-at-home damage, one needs only to look at Ariaria Market, one of the largest markets in West Africa.
This market, according to Business Day, produces 48 million pairs of shoes annually and contributes an estimated N120 billion to the Aba shoe industry. However, the market now operates only five days a week instead of six. Businesses are forced to shut down on Mondays, leading to significant losses for traders who rely on daily sales to support their families.
Other sectors are not spared. Schools are closed on Mondays, leaving students and teachers with only four days of academic activities weekly.
I was informed that financial institutions in Aba and other parts of Abia State, unable to function on Mondays, have adapted by working half days on Saturdays.
The transportation sector has been perhaps the most affected. Inter-state transport systems neither leave nor enter the Southeast region on Mondays.
On a trip during a sit-at-home day, I had a near-death experience with IPOB members. We were extorted by young men posing as IPOB enforcers, who threatened to burn our vehicle for traveling on a sit-at-home day.
The once peaceful region has become a hotbed of violence and insecurity. While Nnamdi Kanu can be blamed for instigating the struggle, there are various legitimate ways to address the marginalisation of the Igbos. Ekpa has exploited the leadership vacuum left by Kanu’s arrest to fan terror—not for the Biafra cause, but for personal gain and glorification.
It is satisfying to learn there are plans to extradite him to Nigeria, where he should face justice.
According to Nigeria’s Director of Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau, Ekpa, who has been declared wanted by the Defence Headquarters since March 2024, could be extradited to Nigeria to face charges of instigating violence and possible terrorism in the Southeast.
Daniel Bwala, a presidential spokesman, indicated that President Bola Tinubu and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu are yet to be briefed on Ekpa’s arrest.
“The procedure is that the (Nigerian) Embassy in Finland has to have the information, and it would brief the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the minister might brief the NSA or the President,” Bwala explained.
Whatever needs to be done to extradite Ekpa to Nigeria should be done swiftly. The blood of innocent civilians and military personnel killed in the Southeast rests squarely on him.
Disclaimer:
This opinion piece represents the views of the writer and does not reflect the editorial stance of Neusroom.
