The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, has denied media reports that the federal government has commenced the extradition process against the self-acclaimed leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Simon Ekpa.
The AGF was earlier reported to have made the statement during the Stakeholders/Citizen Engagement Forum held on Thursday in Abuja.
But speaking through his spokesperson, Kamarudeen Ogundele, Fagbemi clarified that “the report is untrue and a complete departure from what the AGF said.”
He added, “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.
“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 make an informed decision on the next step to take.
“The AGF appeals to the media to be circumspect and avoid reporting speculations on the sensitive matter,” the statement concluded.
THE WHISTLER had reported that Ekpa’s lawyer, Kaale Gummerus, denied knowledge of any plans to extradite him to Nigeria.
“I do not have any information that Simon Ekpa will be extradited to Nigeria. The case is still pending,” Gummerus told the BBC pidgin.
Gummerus, who recently became Ekpa’s lawyer, had said in April that Ekpa would appear in court in June 2025 for trial.
Ekpa, who parades himself as the “Prime Minister” of the Biafra Republic government in exile, was arrested in Lahti, Finland, in November 2024.
Finnish police accused him of using social media platforms to incite violence against civilians and authorities in Nigeria’s southeast, a region historically tied to the Biafran independence movement.
The Nigerian government had accused Ekpa of coordinating violent acts, including attacks on security operatives and enforcing disruptive “sit-at-home” orders in the southeast.
Ekpa, alongside four others, was detained for allegedly financing such activities.
