Jubilation in Anambra over Simon Ekpa’s Arrest in Finland

*IPOB factional leader freed after interrogation 

*Enugu business owners defy sit-at-home order, insist no going back on elections 

*Nnamani condemns Enugu killings, flays sit -at -home order

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka, Michael Olugbode, Sunday Aborisade in Abuja and Gideon Arinze in Enugu

There was jubilation in Anambra State yesterday, following the reported arrest of a factional leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Simon Ekpa, in Finland.
Some residents who spoke to THISDAY, described Ekpa’s arrest as “good riddance to bad rubbish.”
A resident of Awka, the Anambra State capital, Nnamdi Ezendu said, “Ekpa should be renditioned to Nigeria for proper punishment. That guy needs to be peppered for all the atrocious acts he had caused in this state and the entire south-east.

“The Nigerian government should not allow his case to be handled by the Finland authorities. They will handle him with kid gloves.”
In many public places THISDAY observed how people celebrated the arrest of the separatist factional leader.
Ekpa had repeated ordered sit-at-home protest in the south-east, including calling for attacks on government facilities.
His latest was the declaration of sit-at-home, to prevent people from engaging in Saturday’s election, an order which most of his followers usually enforce violently.

and Authorities
There had been continuous agitation by IPOB for an independent State of Biafra with the lead agitator, Nnamdi Kanu still detained by the Nigerian government.
The Helsingin Sanomat (HS), the largest newspaper in the Nordic countries, reported that the police escorted the separatist out of his apartment in Lahti.
The news platform claimed that they had gone to Ekpa’s residence for an interview, but to their surprise, the Finland police, KRP, answered when the HS team rang the separatist bell.

The HS said the KRP prevented their team from entering Ekpa’s apartment and said the interview would be moved “to the future.”
“It is our understanding that he is currently in police custody in Finland,” the official who is not authorised to speak to the press was quoted to have said.
“According to information available to us, the image is verified by Helsingin Sanomat, a Finnish newspaper; in it, Ekpa is seen being escorted out of his home in Lahti by plainclothes Finnish police”, the official said.
However, Ekpa was later released yesterday evening. The Finnish Central Criminal Police confirmed Ekpa’s release, according to HS reports.
The police claimed that its operation in Lahti and the subsequent arrest of the pro-Biafra agitator were in connection with ongoing preliminary investigation.
“The person being questioned today is suspected of a crime. We will return to the title on Friday,” Tommi Reen from the Central Criminal Police told HS during a phone interview.

Before his eventual arrest yesterday, Nigerians all over the world had signed a petition appealing to the Finnish government, Nigerian Government and the European Union to arrest Ekpa, the brain behind the sit-at-home order in the South-East.
An official at the Embassy of Finland in Abuja, Nigeria who spoke anonymously to our correspondent confirmed the arrest of Ekpa.
He said: “I can confirm that it is indeed our understanding, based on the news report by Helsingin Sanomat that Mr. Ekpa was taken in for questioning earlier today from his home in Lahti.
“Finnish police do not however, as a matter of principle, give out information of the identities of persons being questioned. The photo is verified by Helsingin Sanomat as showing Ekpa being escorted from his home by plainclothes police.”
The official at the embassy, said the disinformation about airport arrest, Interpol and Israel in some of the published report should be disregarded, insisting that: “Those are all false.”
Meanwhile, owners of businesses in Enugu State, yesterday defied the sit-at-home order declared by Ekpa, noting that there was no going back on the general election.

Ekpa, had declared that elections would not hold in the entire south-east and that there would be a sit-at-home from February 23rd to 28th.
But when THISDAY visited the popular Ogbete Market yesterday, it was discovered that business activities were in full swing, unlike previously when the orders were given.
The road leading to the market was busy as always, with vehicular movements.  Some banks also opened for business.
Business owners who spoke to THISDAY said they were no longer ready to obey such indiscriminate orders, especially as the elections were approaching.
Shadrach Ani, who owns a boutique inside the market said the decision by business owners to open despite the order showed that the people were ready for a change.

“If we had agreed to stay at home today, it means we will not come out tomorrow and even on Saturday” he said.
The federal government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had summoned the Finnish Ambassador to Nigeria, Leena Pylvanainen, in reaction to the threats by Ekpa.
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo also held an executive committee meeting where it had condemned the threat by Ekpa to lock down Igbo land during the general election.
The South-East Council of Traditional Rulers had also reacted to the threat and had urged their subjects and residents of the zone to ignore the sit-at-home order and go out to vote for their preferred candidates
Also, residents in the state have continued to react to the news about Ekpa’s arrest.

Some of those who spoke to THISDAY, said it would further encourage people to come out and vote on Saturday.
“We are tired of the situation in Nigeria, said a driver who prefers not tobe mentioned. ” We want a change and a government that will work for us”.
In a related development, former Governor of Enugu State, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, yesterday condemned the attacks and killings in the state that claimed the lives of some politicians and urged the security operatives not to leave any stone unturned to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The lawmaker, currently representing Enugu East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, condemned the activities of the unknown gunmen in a statement made available to THISDAY in Abuja yesterday.

He described the perpetrators of the heinous crimes as enemies of the people that must be fished out forthwith, insisting that anything to the contrary would be a disservice to God and humanity.
He condemned the series of attacks on various political parties’ campaign convoy; first on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) bus at Topland, the second on All Progressives Congress (APC) at Agbani and that of Labour Party (LP) at Ekeotu (Wednesday was allegedly planned and executed by unknown gunmen who came to enforce the no election agenda.

He condemned the attacks in no unmistakable terms and urged governments and the citizens to rise up against the perpetrators who were planning to disrupt the elections in the south-east region.
Part of the statement read, “Senator Nnamani has been in the forefront and indeed the first notable political leader from the South East Zone to openly condemn the activities of unknown gunmen and the sit-at-home order by the proscribed indigenous peoples of Biafra (IPOB) bedeviling the region.

“In September 20, 2021, Senator Nnamani in a statement warned that the sit-at- home order was against the collective interest of the Igbo because it has brought the economy and social life in the region to its knees.

“The former Governor had also condemned the attacks on citizens and their businesses by the perpetrators on account of the sit- at -home order.

“The trinity of Igbo character is defined by igba mbo (hustle), akonuche (cot of wisdom) and njepu (sojourn). The sit- at -home is antithetical to the innate Igbo tripartite traits and a betrayal of Igbo interest.

“Most of our people live on daily income. Think of the market women who depend on daily earnings to feed their families. Think of students writing external examinations being denied access to the venues. This must not be allowed to continue.”