Diaspora Igbo mobilise against extradition
By Omololu Adegbuyi
The Nigerian authorities have reached out to Finland to finalise the extradition of leader of Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, (IPOB) Mr Simon Ekpa to Nigeria.
Sources told Irohinoodua that the Federal Government has met with the Finish External Affairs Ministry with what sources said were “hard evidence” on the basis of which the Nigerian Government wanted Ekpa extradited to Nigeria.
Meanwhile, Igbo in Dispora have launched a campaign to stop the possible extradition of Ekpa to Nigeria
Sources told Irohinoodua that funds are being raised to appeal the ruling of a Finish court that earlier ordered the detention of Ekpa.
“We are working to ensure Ekpa is not extradited to Nigeria. We have asked human rights lawyers to approach the Finland court to file appeal. We are also collecting signatures to be forwarded to the political leaders in Finland aimed at stopping the possible extradition of Ekpa,” Mathew Ezenwa who is based in the United States told Irohinoodua.
He said he was sure that the IPOB leader would not be extradited to Nigeria adding that “all we need to prove is that he won’t get justice in Nigeria and that he might be killed if extradited to Nigeria.”
He also said that Nigeria has no extradition treaty with Finland.
Simon Ekpa has been leading the campaign for Biafra, an independent country for the largely Igbo South East.
The region once fought for Biafra independence in 1967, a war that lasted for 30 months leading to the death of hundreds of thousands of people.
Nigeria remains a corrupt country where poverty, hunger, violence and poor leadership vision remain a perennial problem.
Ekpa has a tripple-edged horde of enemies, first from the ruling class in Igboland who benefit from the subsisting Nigerian political-economy and the corrupt, inept national leaders of the country who derive their privileges from the Nigerian garrison structure.
Ekpa had not spared the Nigerian state and the local bourgeoisie in his homestead from fierce criticisms.
The Director of Defence Information, Brig Gen Tukur Gusau said the Federal Government is happy with the arrest of Ekpa.
He echoed the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Chris Musa as expressing pleasure at the arrest of Ekpa’s.
The Nigerian Government has accused Simon Ekpa of involvement in the killings in South Eastern Nigeria and the stay-at-home orders
The Director of Defence Information, Brig Gen Tukur Gusau in a statement made available to Irohinoodua said the “CDS is happy with his arrest in Finland, with the hope this will be a step towards his extradition to Nigeria so that he will face justice.”
A Finland district court in Lahti earlier ordered the detention of Ekpa on probable cause for public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent in Nigeria.
Ekpa blamed for causing incitement through the social media spreading hate and violence.
The court traced the incidence to August 23, 2021.
The head of the investigation, crime commissioner Otto Hiltunen of the Central Criminal Police had said, “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 the region of South-Eastern Nigeria. The man has carried out this activity, among other things, on his social media channels.”
Four other aides of Ekpa were accused of terrorist financing.