The Defence Headquarters in Abuja has said that the Chief of Defence Staff Gen Christopher Musa is pleased with the arrest of pro-separatist leader Simon Ekpa in Finland.
Mr Ekpa, the self-proclaimed Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government in Exile, was on Thursday remanded by the Päijät-Häme District Court on suspicion of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent, according to Finnish media reports.
In a statement, Finland’s Central Criminal Police confirmed Ekpa and four others were in custody.
Ekpa is accused of using social media to incite violence against civilians and authorities in southeastern Nigeria.
The police stated that the four additional suspects were arrested for financing the alleged terrorist activities.
This comes after Nigerian authorities petitioned the Finnish government to arrest Ekpa.
In the statement, the Finnish police said: “The detention demands are related to the preliminary investigation, in which a Finnish citizen of Nigerian background, born in the 1980s, is suspected of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent.
“The police suspect that the man has promoted his efforts from Finland by means that have led to violence against civilians and authorities as well as other crimes in the region of South-Eastern Nigeria.”
Speaking on the arrest of Ekpa in a short statement, director of Defence Information Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau said it is believed that Ekpa would be extradited to Nigeria to face charges against him.
“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,” he wrote.
