Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, has called on the Federal Government to activate diplomatic channels with Finland to address the activities of Simon Ekpa, a Biafra agitator based in Finland.
The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, raised concerns about Ekpa’s alleged sabotage of security agents’ activities in the South-East during his appearance before the House of Representatives on Tuesday, November 21, 2023. Musa urged the Federal Government to collaborate with the Finnish Government regarding Ekpa’s actions in Nigeria.
Responding to this, Ambassador Okey Emuchay, the Secretary General of Ohanaeze, expressed the organization’s support for the Chief of Defence Staff’s suggestion in an interview with ThePunch. Emuchay revealed that the leadership of Ohanaeze had already discussed the matter, emphasizing the collective concern in the South-East regarding Ekpa’s activities.
He stated, “The statement yesterday at the hearing of the House of Representatives tells the story as to what we have been saying all along. It is a matter for the Federal Government of Nigeria to handle, as Ohanaeze or the states in the South-East are subordinate to the Federal Government.”
Supporting Gen. Musa’s stance, Emuchay advised the Federal Government to leverage its diplomatic ties with Finland to address Ekpa’s activities and those of his followers in the South-East.
“The Federal Government has a diplomatic relationship with Finland; they (Finland) have an embassy in Abuja, and that diplomatic channel is what Ohanaeze is asking to be activated. Ohanaeze is very pleased that the Chief of Defence Staff made a public pronouncement on the matter of Simon Ekpa, and we are happy with it,” he asserted.
On the matter of Nnamdi Kanu, Emuchay stated that Ohanaeze would continue to advocate for his release. He emphasized the alignment between Ohanaeze and the South-East governors on the issue. While not providing further details, he affirmed that Ohanaeze, the South-East governors, and other stakeholders in the region shared a common stance regarding the release of Nnamdi Kanu.
