President Bola Tinubu has commended the Finish government over the arrest and detention of Simon Ekpa, saying his administration will not tolerate actions and statements that could lead to division among citizens.
President Tinubu expressed his gratitude to the Finland government when he received the Letters of Credence from the Finnish Ambassador to Nigeria, Ms Sanna Selin, at the State House, Abuja, on Friday, January 24.
He commended the Finnish authorities for the timely intervention that safeguarded the nation’s integrity and mitigated an action that threatened peaceful coexistence.
Speaking on the Ekpa’s case, the President said
“I must thank you for your record on safeguarding human rights in our country with the trial of Simon Ekpa. Nigeria is indivisible. We have been through turbulent times, and we don’t want to promote terrorism.
I am a child born into activism, but not divisiveness. We need cohesion and cooperation to bring about development. Our watchword is stability and cohesion to move the country forward.
The National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, has informed me. I know what the rule of law means. The rule of law safeguards our democratic credentials, morals and values. We must respect the rule of law,” the President said
The President noted that the Ambassador’s priorities, including ICT, agriculture, and education, will directly impact the country’s development.
“Nigeria is undergoing a series of necessary reforms to stimulate growth and prosperity. Thank you also for the humanitarian support in the North East. I believe that we can work together” he added
The Ambassador of Finland extolled the President for his courage in initiating reforms that will benefit the economy and ensure prosperity in the future.
“Simon Ekpa has been hindering bilateral relations. The cooperation between our two countries is going very well now, and the National Security Adviser has been providing all the evidence,” the Ambassador noted.
Ekpa was arrested in November 2024 for alleged terror-related offenses. Ekpa is a seperatist agitator and self-proclaimed Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government In-Exile.