The Federal Government has welcomed the landmark judgment of the Päijät-Häme District Court in Finland, which on Monday sentenced Simon Ekpa, a self-styled pro-Biafra agitator, to six years’ imprisonment for terrorism offences.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris in a statement described the ruling as a watershed moment not only for the countless innocent Nigerians whose lives and livelihoods have been brutally disrupted by the reign of terror incited and financed by Ekpa and his collaborators—but also for the strengthening of bilateral relations between Nigeria and Finland.
The statement adds that for several years, throgh the activities of Ekpa Hundreds of lives were lost, and many more maimed, in pursuit of a destructive and unlawful agenda that sought to undermine the peace, unity, and sovereignty of our nation
By upholding the rule of law and ensuring that justice is served, the Finnish judiciary has not only vindicated Nigeria’s consistent position on the matter but also sent a clear signal to extremists everywhere that the world is watching, and justice will catch up with those who seek to destabilize societies through terror.
The Minister said the Tinubu administration remains unshakable in its resolve to defend Nigeria’s sovereignty and protect the dignity of every citizen and will continue to mobilize every resource, diplomatic, military, and judicial, to preserve the peace, unity, and territorial integrity of the country.
He urged all those who, under the misguidance of Simon Ekpa and others, have taken up arms against their fatherland to immediately lay them down and embrace the path of peace.
The Federal Government in the statement also extends its profound gratitude to the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Nigerian Armed Forces, the security and intelligence agencies, and the Federal Ministry of Justice and the Nigeria Police, whose sacrifices, courage, and commitment continue to secure the country in the face of daunting challenges.