When it seemed that it was not going to happen, police authorities in Finland pulled in Simon Ekpa, who has become notorious for his alleged sponsorship of the mayhem going on in the South East of the country.
According to a Finnish news medium, Helsingin Sanomat, HS, the pro-Biafra agitator had been taken into custody by the Finland Police, Keskusrikospoliisi (KRP), who escorted the separatist out of his apartment in Lahti.
Criminal Investigator, Tommi Reen from the Central Criminal Police, told the HS news outlet that the KRP, the National Bureau of Investigation, NBI, in Finland was responsible for the operation but did not give further details.
The HS team disclosed that they had gone to Ekpa’s apartment for an interview but were surprised when the KRP police operatives answered the door bell.
However, the HS said the KRP did not allow them to Ekpa’s apartment, the interview would be deferred.
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Godfrey Onyeama, had on February 15 invited the Finnish Ambassador to Nigeria, Leena Pylvänäinen, to a meeting and handed down Nigeria’s request for the intervention of Finland in curbing Ekpa’s alleged violent activities.
Onyeama, who was represented by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Zubairu Dada, had told Pylvanainen: “We thought it was important for us to have this chat with you to let you know that, of course, he is living in the comfort of his home there in Finland and we know that we have been in touch with your good self.
“We have had some time to ensure that we arrest this situation but it appears the situation is getting out of hand. And we are saying enough is enough. We should let you know, in very strong terms that it is high time you really back Nigeria with the quest that something is 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 destructions the very next day. They embark on killings and burning and you name it. And we believe this is not acceptable.
“It’s important to get to know that these elections are being threatened by the actions of someone and that something needs to be done immediately, to address the situation.
“This in essence is why we thought it was important for us to have this discussion with you, so as to let you know our concerns and the displeasure of the Government of Nigeria and the people of Nigeria on this very unhealthy development.”
“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 destructions the very next day. They embark on killings and burning and you name it. And we believe this is not acceptable.
“It’s important to get to know that these elections are being threatened by the actions of someone and that something needs to be done immediately, to address the situation.
“This in essence is why we thought it was important for us to have this discussion with you, so as to let you know our concerns and the displeasure of the Government of Nigeria and the people of Nigeria on this very unhealthy development.”
Obviously, Ekpa’s arrest may be a direct dividend of that meeting.
The Finnish Embassy in Abuja has unofficially confirmed Ekpa’s arrest, as he was seen in picture being escorted out of his home in Lahti by mufti-clad police operatives.
The former athlete and lawyer, who is based in Finland where he is also a citizen, is well known for his acscerbic and inciting comments against Nigeria.
He had repeatedly ordered the people of the South-east to observe a sit-at-home order. Those who failed to comply were gruesomely gunned down.
Recently, he had ordered the people to boycott the country’s general elections billed to start on Saturday and declared another sit-at-home order, unleashing a reign of terror marked with tears, blood and sorrow.
His alleged violent campaign had made Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora to sign a petition appealing to the Finnish and Nigerian governments as well as the European Union to arrest Ekpa.
He has also been accused of collecting $1million to destroy the chances of Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party by his opponent, who hails from the South-east, a reason he insisted there would be no election in the region.
In the last few days, violence has peaked in the area, the latest being the dastardly burning to death of a Labour Party’s senatorial candidate in Enugu alongside five others.
Simon Ekpa’s arrest by the Finnish authorities has received positive applause across the country and not a few people hope that his wings should be permanently clipped.
