The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has refuted claims that the Federal Government initiated extradition proceedings against Simon Ekpa, a factional leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The denial follows media reports alleging Fagbemi’s comments on Ekpa’s extradition during a stakeholders’ engagement in Abuja on Thursday.
In a statement issued Friday by his Special Assistant on Communication, Kamarudeen Ogundele, Fagbemi dismissed the reports as “untrue” and a distortion of his remarks. “The federal government has not commenced any extradition process against Simon Ekpa. The media reports misrepresented the AGF’s comments at the forum,” the statement clarified.
Ekpa, a Finland-based separatist agitator, has repeatedly called for civil unrest in the Southeast, spearheading sit-at-home orders linked to violence and economic disruption. While authorities have labeled him a wanted terrorist, no formal extradition request to Finland has been publicly confirmed.
Fagbemi’s office urged media outlets to exercise caution, emphasizing the need for accurate reporting on sensitive legal and security matters.
