.Urges FG to stop campaigns to pervert Nnamdi Kanu's trial
The Federal Government welcomes the landmark judgment of the Päijät-Häme District Court in Finland, which on Monday sentenced Simon Ekpa, a self-styled pro-Biafra agitator, to six years' imprisonment for terrorism offences.
This ruling stands as a watershed moment - not only for the countless innocent Nigerians whose lives and livelihoods have been brutally disrupted by the reign of terror incited and financed by Ekpa and his collaborators -- but also for the strengthening of bilateral relations between Nigeria and Finland.
For years, Ekpa's reckless incitement and orchestration of violence through IPOB terror activities unleashed unspeakable pain: families shattered, businesses destroyed, children orphaned, and entire communities forced to live under fear. Hundreds of lives were lost, and many more maimed, in pursuit of a destructive and unlawful agenda that sought to undermine the peace, unity, and sovereignty of our nation.
By upholding the rule of law and ensuring that justice is served, the Finnish judiciary has not only vindicated Nigeria's consistent position on this matter but also sent a clear signal to extremists everywhere that the world is watching, and justice will catch up with those who seek to destabilize societies through terror.
The Tinubu administration remains unshakable in its resolve to defend Nigeria's sovereignty and protect the dignity of every citizen. We will continue to mobilize every resource, diplomatic, military, and judicial, to preserve the peace, unity, and territorial integrity of our country.
We urge all those who, under the misguidance of Simon Ekpa and others, have taken up arms against their fatherland to immediately lay them down and embrace the path of peace. Nigeria is big enough for all its people, but there can be no progress where violence and division prevail.
The Federal Government also extends its profound gratitude to the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Nigerian Armed Forces, the security and intelligence agencies, and the Federal Ministry of Justice and the Nigeria Police, whose sacrifices, courage, and commitment continue to secure our homeland in the face of daunting challenges. Their service and the resilience of the Nigerian people remain the backbone of our enduring unity.
As we mark this turning point, the Federal Government enjoins all Nigerians, at home and abroad, to work together for national unity, peace, and the security of the country.
Also, The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has commended the swift trial and conviction of separatist Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa, who was sentenced to six years' imprisonment by a Finnish court for terrorism-related offences.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Päijät-Häme District Court in Lahti, Finland, convicted Ekpa after finding him guilty of terrorism charges.
NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, conveyed the association's position on Monday in Abuja while presenting the communiqué of the just-concluded 65th Annual General Conference (AGC).
"For me, the takeaway is the time it took to commence and conclude his trial, and I wish the Nigerian judiciary were watching and taking notes," Osigwe said.
He added that Nigeria's investigative and prosecutorial agencies must improve their capacity to conduct thorough investigations and present strong evidence to ensure smooth trials, clear outcomes, and credible appeals where necessary.
Osigwe further stressed that the conviction highlighted the responsibility that comes with access to social media, warning that those who used online platforms to incite ethnic hatred or promote terrorism would be held accountable.
On the Department of State Services' (DSS) recent invitation of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) for screening, the NBA president said the association was engaging with relevant authorities to prevent such practices in the future.
"Writing confidential reports on SAN candidates does not require DSS inviting and questioning them as though they were suspects," he said.
The NBA President also defended the involvement of newly called lawyers in the AGC discussions, describing it as a step towards inclusivity and proof that wisdom was not solely determined by age.
In its communiqué, the NBA pledged to drive reforms that uphold equity, inclusivity, and accountability, while leveraging technology and globalisation.
This, it stated would be to strengthen justice delivery and legal education, particularly in entrepreneurial and practical skills.
It also reaffirmed its commitment to continental solidarity, pledging to work with sister bar associations across Africa to dismantle trade barriers, reinforce cross-border legal frameworks, and ensure Africa speaks with one voice globally.
"The Association calls on government at all levels, the judiciary, the legislature, the private sector, civil society, and the international community to partner with it in building a just, prosperous, and peaceful society.
"In this resolve, the NBA stands out not only as a regulator of legal practice, but also as a beacon of hope, a guardian of democracy, and a driver of transformation for Nigeria, Africa, and the world," Osigwe said.(NAN)
However, The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, accused the Nigerian Government of working hard to link it with the convicted Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa.
This comes amid the six-year jail bagged by Ekpa, leader of the Biafra Republic Government in Exile on Monday.
The sentence, which the Nigerian Government has hailed, was handed down by a Finnish court.
IPOB has now reacted, distancing the group from Ekpa and his activities.
The Biafra group, which has made similar clarifications in the past, said the Nigerian government was launching a smear campaign to discredit its detained leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
According to IPOB spokesperson, Comrade Emma Powerful, linking Ekpa to its movement is "a brazen fraud against truth and justice."
"The world must know that the question of Simon Ekpa's non-membership in IPOB is already judicially settled in Finland.
"IPOB under oath in a Finnish court testified that Simon Ekpa has never held any position in IPOB or ESN. Ekpa himself under oath described himself merely as a 'content creator,' admitted he disowned IPOB, and boasted that he would destroy IPOB," Powerful declared, while accusing Ekpa of creating parallel structures in contradiction to IPOB's ideology.
"Ekpa created his own contraptions: 'Biafra Government in Exile,' 'Biafra Liberation Army (BLA),' and 'Biafra Defence Force, BDF,' all of which, IPOB repudiated and condemned," he stated.
It insisted that any attempt to associate Ekpa's conviction with IPOB amounted to "deliberate misinformation -- a calculated lie, knowingly repeated to deceive."
"The Nigerian state is orchestrating this smear campaign as a diversionary tactic, timed precisely to contaminate the upcoming ruling on Mazi Nnamdi Kanu's no-case submission.
"Why the unexplained delay in delivering judgment when the Federal Government has failed to establish even a prima facie case?
"The answer is obvious: they are buying time to inject irrelevant and extraneous narratives like Ekpa's conviction, in a bid to corrupt judicial reasoning," IPOB alleged.
It described the adjournment as "judicial hostage-taking -- a weaponization of the courts to sustain persecution."
The group also appealed to foreign governments and institutions, including the European Union, Finland, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the United Nations, to intervene in the matter.
"The Finnish court exonerated IPOB of any link to Simon Ekpa. We demand clarity be issued to Nigeria to stop this malicious misuse," the group urged.
Addressing Western nations, IPOB said: "You have both condemned Nigeria's extraordinary rendition of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from Kenya. If you are true to your principles, you must also condemn this latest charade -- an attempt to derail a fair trial by importing lies."
It further called on the United Nations to act, warning that "the Nigerian government is persecuting a self-determination leader in violation of the UN Charter. Silence in the face of a weaponized judiciary is complicity."
Reaffirming its position, IPOB insisted that Simon Ekpa must bear his own burden.
"Simon Ekpa's conviction is his burden and his alone. IPOB will never carry it. IPOB is a peaceful movement registered under international law, committed to lawful self-determination.
"This case in Abuja is not about IPOB's legitimacy; it is about the persecution of one man -- Mazi Nnamdi Kanu -- for daring to demand freedom through peaceful means," the group declared.
IPOB warned that the international community is closely watching Kanu's trial.
"We warn Justice James Omotosho and the Nigerian judiciary: the eyes of the world are upon you. On 10 October 2025, the only acceptable outcome is one grounded in law and fact.
"Any judgment influenced by this manufactured smokescreen will be rejected as null and void by history, by law, and by the international community," the statement read.
IPOB said Nigeria risked further damage to its image if it continued to misrepresent facts.
"Nigeria stands today at the bar of world opinion. Persist in this fraud, and you confirm yourselves a rogue state where the rule of law is dead," it added.
The IPOB had in the past also disowned the regular Monday sit-at-home which grounded economic activities in the South-East for over two years.