The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has debunked reports suggesting that the Federal Government has initiated extradition proceedings against Simon Ekpa, a factional leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
In a statement released on Friday by his Special Assistant on Communication and Publicity, Kamarudeen Ogundele, the AGF clarified that his remarks during a recent stakeholders’ engagement in Abuja were misrepresented.
The statement read, “The attention of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has been drawn to media reports where he was erroneously reported to have said that the federal government had commenced an extradition process against Simon Ekpa.”
“The report is untrue and a complete departure from what the AGF said at the Stakeholders/Citizen Engagement Forum held on Thursday in Abuja.”
The statement emphasized that Simon Ekpa is currently on trial in Finland, where the Finnish government has brought charges against him.
“Ekpa, a leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), is currently standing trial in Finland for charges filed against him by the Finnish government.”
Clarifying the government’s position, the AGF stated that Nigeria is working diplomatically with Finnish authorities to ensure Simon Ekpa is held accountable for his actions.
“To set the record straight, what the AGF said during the question and answer session was that the Nigerian government had been engaging with Finnish authorities to ensure that Simon Ekpa is held accountable for his actions.”
“He explained that since the crimes committed by Simon Ekpa were cross-border in nature, the Nigerian government eagerly awaits the outcome of the proposed trial in Finland to have an informed decision on the next step to take,” the statement added.
Fagbemi concluded by urging journalists to avoid speculative reports and adhere strictly to factual representation of official statements.
