When it comes to restoring peace to south-eastern Nigeria, security chiefs agree on one of the few things that must be done in the immediate future. That means Simon Ekpa needs to be extradited!
Ekpa coordinates the recently debanned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) faction from his comfortable residence in Lahti, Finland.
The Ekpa faction has been vocal in its agitation for the realization of an independent state of Biafra. At the same time, the group’s Eastern Security Network (ESN) has claimed responsibility for the killings of civilians and state security personnel, and engaged in brutal confrontations with officers of the Nigerian Army and Nigeria Police Force, among others, calling them terrorists.
Related article: JUST IN: IPOB faction leader Simon Ekpa arrested by Finnish police
Ekpa has amassed more than 176,000 followers and an army of bot-like supporters as he daily flaunts the killing of security personnel and the inhumane treatment of those who defy the infamous stay-at-home order in X. are.
“The Biafran Defense Force Owerri Command has recovered weapons from the terrorists after neutralizing a large number of them. The withdrawal of all Nigerian terrorists from Biafraland is our demand and we are close to the December declaration. If you think you will continue to use force and terrorist tactics to keep us in the union, this will continue to be your belief in Biafraland,” he wrote on July 29, when police along the Onitsha He admitted to killing the officer. -Owerri Road.
Ekpa also has a tendency to share misinformation.
Political and security officials have called for Ekpa’s extradition to stand trial for a number of crimes committed in Nigeria. However, it seems that little success has been achieved. but why?
Extradition is the legal removal of a criminal from one country to another, where he or she may be charged or convicted and brought to justice. Criminals often flee from the country where they committed their crime to another country to avoid justice.
Countries therefore need some kind of international cooperation to force criminals to face the consequences of their actions. In this case, extradition treaties become important.
Nigeria has entered into such treaties with several countries, the most recent of which was the extradition treaty between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). However, Nigeria does not have an extradition treaty with Finland, where Ekpa lives as a citizen. In other respects, the two countries have maintained a bilateral relationship spanning more than 60 years.
Finnish authorities once told the Nigerian government that everything related to Ekpa must be done in accordance with the law because “Finnish nationals” were involved.
“Information is being shared and we hope that more information will be shared in order for all authorities to do their jobs, which is to investigate what is really going on and to ensure that this is the law in Finland.” “Because we are of course talking about the Finnish people,” said Riina Pirvanainen, then Finland’s ambassador to Nigeria, in 2023. In February, he told the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Also, as far as I know, he is a dual citizen of Nigeria and Finland and therefore, as you rightly said, he is protected, safe and sound at home in Finland. ‘s rights must also be taken into account. So it is clear that everything has to be done in accordance with Finnish law, where freedom of speech is very strongly protected.
What law?
The Finnish government will only grant extradition requests to countries with which it has such agreements. For other countries that do not have a treaty, such decisions are made on a discretionary basis based on the seriousness of the crime.
Related article: “One country cannot have two armies”—Nigerians are concerned about the activities of the Biafran Liberation Army
According to an article explaining Finland’s extradition law published on the Ministry of Justice’s website, there are certain considerations when extraditing individuals.
Ekpa is of Nigerian descent, is a lawyer, and is a member of the Finnish National Union Party. He was appointed as a member of the Lahti City Council in 2023.
“Obstacles to extradition include, inter alia, the extradition of nationals, political offenses, time limits for prosecution, and the person’s personal circumstances,” the ministry said.
Even regional authorities to which Finland belongs will only hand over their citizens to these countries under certain conditions. “Finland will not extradite its nationals to EU member states and other Nordic countries, except under certain conditions,” the article states.
Related article: Nigerians ask Finnish police to bring Simon Ekpa back for prosecution
green light?
In June, Chief of Defense Staff General Christopher Musa accused Finland of providing an environment in which Ekpa could carry out his crimes.
“We have repeatedly complained about the Simon Ekpa issue. He is in Finland, the Finnish government is giving him every support and he is doing what he is doing,” Musa said. he said.
About two months after Musa’s comments, Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen visited Nigeria and said the issue was already in court.
“The case of Ekpa, whose activities were reported to the Finnish government by the Nigerian authorities, is currently being heard in a Finnish court,” Valtonen said at a press conference.
Details of the trial were not mentioned, and it remains to be seen whether the final outcome will lead to Ekpa’s extradition.
