For years, Finland-based Nigerian-born Simon Ekpa has been fueling insecurity in the Southeast through his remotely controlled Monday sit-at-home order. The region reportedly loses no less than N9 billion weekly as government and commercial activities come to a halt on the first working day of each week. However, activities are slowly resuming in some areas, particularly in parts of Enugu where Governor Peter Mbah is actively campaigning to end the sit-at-home directive.
Ekpa’s propaganda has misled many youths into viewing him as a Biafra hero. His enforcement of the sit-at-home order has resulted in numerous deaths, including those of security personnel, and extensive property damage, such as the burning of police barracks. Despite this, he continues to influence gullible youths and disrupt socio-economic activities in the Southeast, even after the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, publicly distanced the group from the sit-at-home order.
Ekpa, originally from Ohaukwu in Ebonyi State, was once an athlete, having won a silver medal in the triple jump at the 2003 African Junior Athletics Championships in Cameroon. He moved to Finland in 2007 for treatment and surgery for a knee injury, which marks the beginning of his activities that have caused insecurity in Nigeria. Despite the existing diplomatic relationship between Nigeria and Finland, Ekpa has continued his disruptive activities from abroad.
Nigeria’s Chief of Defense Staff, General Christopher Musa, has accused Finland of shielding Ekpa and has called for his arrest and prosecution. Musa urged the Nigerian government to take decisive action, including exploring diplomatic options to curb the activities of the self-declared Prime Minister of the Biafran government in exile.
Musa stated, “We have repeatedly complained about the issue of Simon Ekpa. He is in Finland, and the Finnish government is giving him all the support. The comments he is making result in people being killed, and nothing is being done. If the European Union is supporting democracy and this is happening, and they are not taking action, then they don’t mean well for Nigeria.”
For years, the Southeast has suffered substantial financial losses due to Ekpa’s sit-at-home order. Those who defied the order faced harassment, shootings, or even death, resulting in the region becoming a ghost town every Monday. However, recent leadership in some states has begun to challenge Ekpa’s influence. For instance, Governor Peter Mba of Enugu State banned the sit-at-home order upon taking office last year to revive the state’s economy. Initially met with resistance, Mba enforced the ban by sealing businesses that remained closed on Mondays.
Mba questioned how one man could hold the entire Igbo nation to ransom and is considering taking Ekpa and other instigators to the International Court of Justice at The Hague. He described Ekpa as a scammer exploiting the emotions of the Igbo people and called for his extradition to face justice in Nigeria.
Mba stated, “Our people are known for hard work; that is who we are. Hard work is in our DNA. This man sits somewhere and tells Igbo people not to go to work. I call on our people to disregard him because we have the capacity to secure our people. His intimidation cannot deter us. He’s just doing this to grow his followers. It is surprising that the Finnish government allows this man to reside in their country and perpetrate terrorism in Nigeria. We may have to set up a committee to see how this man can be brought to justice. Through his actions, many have died. This is a tragedy we must all work as a country to end. He does not represent Igbo interests. I call on the youths who fall for this sort of antics to retrace their steps because this is antithetical to our existence as a people.”
Similarly, Bishop Sunday Onuoha, co-chair of the Interfaith Peace and Dialogue Forum, suggested that the federal government should lead discussions on Ekpa’s possible extradition from Finland to Nigeria to face the law. He questioned Nigeria’s diplomatic relationship with Finland and proposed engaging those close to Ekpa for a possible truce.
Onuoha said, “I’m just wondering how our international diplomacy operates. What relationship has Nigeria with Finland? A matter of this nature is a state and international issue. I think the federal government should go into discussions with Finland to determine what to do with Ekpa. But the truth is that it is not a minor issue. The federal government should go into conversation with Finland. Again, who are the friends of Ekpa? Does he not have friends? Who are those that listen to him and those he can listen to? I think at this level, we should begin to look for those he has confidence in and bring them to the table for conversation.”
(Vanguard)