The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has dismissed reports claiming the Federal Government has initiated moves to extradite separatist agitator, Simon Ekpa.
This clarification was made in a statement released on Friday by Kamarudeen Ogundele, Special Adviser to the President on Communication and Publicity (Office of the AGF). According to Fagbemi, his remarks at Thursday’s Stakeholders/Citizen Engagement Forum in Abuja were misinterpreted by the media.
“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,” the statement read.
Fagbemi explained that since the offences associated with Ekpa carry cross-border implications, the Nigerian government has been closely observing the legal process underway in Finland before determining what steps to take next.
“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,” Ogundele added.
The Attorney General also appealed to media outlets to be responsible in their reporting, urging them to avoid baseless assumptions or speculation around such a sensitive matter.
Naturenex reports that Simon Ekpa, who identifies himself as a leader of the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), is currently facing terrorism-related charges in Finland, following a legal action initiated by Finnish authorities.
