The Finnish government has informed Nigeria that the judicial proceedings against Simon Ekpa, a controversial member of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, will be completed shortly.
Elina Valtonen, Finland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, gave this promise at a news event in Abuja on Tuesday.
Ekpa, who lives in Finland, leads the IPOB faction known as Autopilot, which has been advocating for the establishment of an independent state of Biafra, which would include Nigeria’s South East and parts of the South-South regions.
He is also accused of playing a significant role in inciting violence in Nigeria, particularly through the implementation of a contentious sit-at-home order and other attacks on security officers.
Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, held high-level discussions on Tuesday with the Foreign Ministers of Sweden, Finland, Iceland, and Norway and Denmark.
The delegation consists of Sweden’s Tobias Billström, Finland’s Elina Valtonen, Iceland’s Thórd’s Kolbr, Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir, Norway’s Sandkjaer, and Denmark’s Eva Marie Frida Barlése.
Following the discussioniiiim with the five Nordic delegates, Tuggar indicated that the Ekpa issue was a key point in his negotiations with Valtonen.
“It was a priority. There is no way Nigeria would engage with Finland without raising the issue of Simon Ekpa vociferously,” Tuggar said.
Valtonen confirmed Finland’s commitment to cooperating with Nigeria on this issue. She stressed that the issue was being handled by Finland’s court system, which adheres closely to the rule of law.
“If you are referring to a specific person operating in Finland in a less than constructive manner, we have discussed this with the Nigerian authorities.
“Both our judicial systems are collaborating on this matter, and we hope it will soon be resolved.
“Both governments have stressed that the case is not a political issue but rather a judicial one, reinforcing their commitment to upholding the law as the proceedings unfold,” Valtonen stated.
