The Government of Finland on Tuesday said the judicial process has to be exhausted for Simon Ekpa, one of the leaders of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to be extradited from the Nordic country.
Simon Ekpa has in various videos and online post instigated violence against Nigerian government and called for secession of Biafra from Nigeria.
The Nigerian government has consistently demanded for his extradition from Finland where he is presently residing to face charges in Nigeria.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja during the visit of five Nordic countries ministers of foreign affairs, Finland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Elina Valtonen gave an assurance that the judicial issue regarding Simon Ekpa will be closed very soon.
She noted that Ekpa’s case is not considered political but judicial and Finland being a democracy that respect rules of law would want to wait until the case against the Biafran leader is judged at the court before action is taken on him.
She said “the case against the person in question is a judicial issue which must run through its course.”
She however said the judicial hurdle must first be removed.
She said: “If you mean a specific person who is operating in Finland in a not very, say, constructive manner, then indeed we have taken this up and discussed this with the Nigerian authorities in full collaboration.
“And the entire process is within our judicial system, and in Finland, who operates very strictly by the rule of law, such as we see that Nigeria is doing as well.
“It is not a political question, but it is a question to the judicial system, and both our judicial systems do collaborate on this matter, and we hope that we will be able to close it soon.
The other Nordic ministers at the meeting are Mr Tobias Billström, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, Ms Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland, Ms Bjørg Sandkjær, State Secretary for International Development, Norway and Ms Eva Marie Frida Barløse, Under Secretary for Foreign Policy, Denmark.
All the Ministers said they are in Nigeria to increase trading with their countries and see Nigeria as an important partner.
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