FG hails as Finland convicts Simon Ekpa for terrorism offences

The Federal Government has welcomed the landmark judgment of the Päijät- Häme District Court in Finland, which on Monday sentenced Simon Ekpa, a self- styled pro-Biafra agitator, to six years’ imprisonment for terrorism offences.

In a statement signed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris on Monday, said the ruling stands as a watershed moment, not only for the countless innocent Nigerians whose lives and livelihoods have been brutally disrupted.

Ekpa who insisted on the observance of a Southeast sit-at-home every Monday in the area to protest the detention of leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu, arrested in Finland last year.
The pro-Biafra agitator was remanded on suspicion of the public exhortation for an offence, charged alongside four other persons for financing a terrorist offence, according to a statement by the Finnish police.

According to the Minister, “For years, Ekpa’s reckless incitement and orchestration of violence through IPOB terror activities unleashed unspeakable pain: families shattered, businesses destroyed, children orphaned, and entire communities forced to live under fear”.

He added that, “Hundreds of lives were lost, and many more maimed, in pursuit of a destructive and unlawful agenda that sought to undermine the peace, unity, and sovereignty of our nation.
Idris stated that this conviction has strengthened the bilateral relations between Nigeria and Finland, adding that the Finnish judiciary not only vindicated Nigeria’s consistent position on such matter but sent clear signal to extremists everywhere that the world is watching, and justice will catch up with those who seek to destabilize societies through terror.

He further said that the Tinubu administration remains unshakable in its resolve to defend Nigeria’s sovereignty and protect the dignity of every citizen.

“We will continue to mobilize every resource, diplomatic, military, and judicial, to preserve the peace, unity, and territorial integrity of our country.
The Minister urged all those who, under the misguidance of Simon Ekpa and others, have taken up arms against their fatherland to immediately lay them down and embrace the path of peace.

“Nigeria is big enough for all its people, but there can be no progress where violence and division prevail. The Federal Government also extends its profound gratitude to the Office of the National Security Adviser.

“The Nigerian Armed Forces, the security and intelligence agencies, and Federal Ministry of Justice and the Nigeria Police, whose sacrifices, courage, and commitment continue to secure our homeland in the face of daunting challenges.

“Their service and the resilience of the Nigerian people remain the backbone of our enduring unity. As we mark this turning point, the Federal Govt enjoins all Nigerians, at home and abroad, to work together for national unity, peace, and security of the country”, he concluded.