The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has refuted reports suggesting that the Federal Government has initiated extradition proceedings against Simon Ekpa, a factional leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
In a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Communication and Publicity, Kamarudeen Ogundele, on Friday, the AGF clarified that the media reports misrepresented comments he made at a stakeholders’ engagement held on Thursday in Abuja.
The statement read: “The attention of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has been drawn to media reports where he was erroneously quoted as stating that the federal government had commenced an extradition process against Simon Ekpa. This report is completely false and deviates from the AGF’s actual statement at the Stakeholders/Citizen Engagement Forum held on Thursday in Abuja.”
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The statement further clarified that Simon Ekpa, a leader of the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), is currently facing trial in Finland on charges filed by the Finnish authorities.
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“To clarify, the AGF only explained that the Nigerian government has been in discussions with Finnish authorities to ensure that Simon Ekpa is held accountable for his actions. As the crimes committed by Ekpa are cross-border in nature, the Nigerian government is awaiting the outcome of the ongoing trial in Finland before determining the appropriate next steps,” the statement added.
Fagbemi urged the media to exercise caution when reporting on the issue and to avoid publishing speculative claims.
