The Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs had summoned the Finnish Ambassador, over activities of the Nigerian-Finnish Biafran agitator, Simon Ekpa.
The Finnish Ambassador to Nigeria, Leena Pylvanainen, has expressed displeasure over the orders given by Simon Ekpa to his teeming followers to disrupt the forthcoming general elections in the West African country.
Pylvanainen said that the law enforcement agencies were in touch and were cooperating on Ekpa.
“We do have this irritant, as you call it on our bilateral agenda. And it is a topic on which we have been cooperating, our authorities have been cooperating, there have been contacts between the law enforcement agencies of Nigeria and Finland on this topic,” she said.
The Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs had summoned the Finnish Ambassador, over activities of the Nigerian-Finnish Biafran agitator, Simon Ekpa.
Ekpa, a self-acclaimed disciple of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has been championing the restoration of Biafra Republic and calling for boycott of elections in the South-East region of Nigeria unless Kanu was released.
He has sustained Monday Sit-at-home protest against continued detention of Kanu in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) despite several court orders directing his unconditional release.
Recently, Ekpa declared five days sit-at-home protest starting from February 23 to 28, a development that had put fear in many Easterners that the presidential election could be derailed.
Sequel to the concerns, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama on Tuesday summoned the Finnish Ambassador to Nigeria, Leena Pylvanainen, to express displeasure over the orders given by Simon Ekpa to his teeming followers who consequently embarked on alleged killings, maiming, burning and other destructive activities.
The minister who was represented by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Zubairu Dada said Ekpa’s action was fast becoming a threat to the forthcoming election, and that the Federal Government would not take it lightly with him and the Finland government if something drastic was not done.
According to Dada, Simon Ekpa is living in the comfort of his home in Finland and dishing out dangerous orders to his followers not to allow elections to hold which is threatening the peace of the south-eastern Nigeria.
“We thought it was important for us to have this chat with you to let you know that, of course, he’s living in the comfort of his home there in Finland and we know that we have been in touch with your good self,” Dada said.
“We’ve had some time to ensure that we arrest this situation but it appears the situation is getting out of hand. And we’re saying enough is enough. We should let you know, in very strong terms that it’s high time you really mean and back Nigeria with the quest that something be done immediately because he threatens the forthcoming elections.
“The sad thing is that this gentleman has a lot of followers out there. And the moment he issues these instructions, what happens is that you have destruction the very next day. They embarked on killings, maimings and burning and you name it. And we believe this is not acceptable.”