The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has welcomed the conviction of pro-Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa by a Finnish court, saying sponsors of terrorism will be held accountable, regardless of their location.
The Päijät-Häme District Court in Lahti, Finland sentenced Ekpa to six years in prison for terrorism offences. The court found Ekpa guilty of participating in terrorism.
According to the prosecutor, the charges relate to his activities aimed at re-establishing an independent state in Nigeria’s Biafra region. It was briefly independent in the late 1960s.
Shortly after the ruling, the CDS described the judgement as a landmark victory in the global campaign against terrorism and violent extremism.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau.
According to the statement, Musa said the judgment affirmed that no individual or group sponsoring terrorism against Nigeria would find a haven.
“The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, has expressed firm support for the judgment delivered today by the Päijät-Häme District Court in Finland, sentencing Simon Ekpa to six years in prison for terrorism-related offences.
“General Musa described the ruling as a landmark victory in the global effort to combat terrorism and violent extremism, noting that the conviction reinforces the principle that those who incite violence and fund terrorism will be held accountable, regardless of their location.”
He commended Nigerian security, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies, alongside the country’s diplomats, for providing actionable evidence that aided the conviction.
To Musa, the outcome reflected the power of international collaboration in confronting transnational threats.
“The CDS also extended deep appreciation to Nigerian security, intelligence, law enforcement agencies and diplomats for their unwavering collaboration and painstaking efforts in providing actionable evidence that led to Ekpa’s conviction. He noted that the success reflects the power of international cooperation and collaboration in addressing transnational threats, ” the statement added.
The CDS also reaffirmed the Armed Forces’ readiness to continue working with global partners to dismantle terrorist networks while urging Nigerians to remain vigilant and support ongoing security operations against insurgency and violent separatist movements.