SIMON EKPA WILL SOON BE EXTRADITED - CHIEF OF DEFENCE STAFF

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Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa has stated that the Federal Government has submitted most of the requirements for the extradition of pro-Biafra agitator and secessionist, Simon Ekpah.

Ekpa was arrested by Finland law enforcement on November 21.

A district court in Päijät-Häme later sent the Finland-based Ekpa to prison for “spreading terrorist propaganda on social media”.

Musa spoke on a TV year-end review programme on Tuesday.

“Well, I’m sure he is cooling off somewhere. Legal action is going to be taken accordingly. I don’t want to say much about that, but I’m happy he has been arrested,” he said.

“The Federal Government has actually forwarded most of the requirements to the Finnish Government. So, I’m sure the right thing will be done.”

Musa also vowed that the military would apprehend Bello Turji, the alleged notorious terrorist and bandit leader.

He said the military has killed Turji’s commanders and arrested several of his associates.

According to Musa, Turji, who has terrorised Sokoto, Zamfara, and Kebbi states, is now operating covertly as the military ramps up its operations.

“The update is that since he knows we’ve been after him, he has been operating underground and we are conducting operations,” Musa said.

“What we have been doing, of recent, is that we are picking everybody close to him; all those giving him support in one way or the other, we have picked them, we have killed his commanders. It’s just a matter of time.”

The defence chief added that over 120,000 terrorists in the north-east have surrendered, noting that many were coerced into joining the insurgency.

He said efforts are under way to identify the masterminds and distinguish them from those forced into crime.

Musa promised that the masterminds would face justice.

Also speaking on Tuesday, Edward Buba, director of defence media operations, told journalists in Abuja that Turji is a “dead man walking”.

“Take it from me, he (Turji) is merely a dead man walking, as he will soon follow suit with many others that have been eliminated during the course of the year,” Buba said.

Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, reports that Turji has resumed activities along the Shinkafi road in Zamfara state.

The publication stated that senior Fulani leaders recently met with Turji to appeal to him to abandon his threats in the area.

According to intelligence sources quoted in the report, Turji and his men have been targeting travellers and communities along the road, causing widespread panic and disrupting movement in the area.

“The attacks come just a few hours after top Fulani leaders from Shinkafi, Moriki, and Zurmi met with Turji to urge him to reconsider his plans for violence and to lift his blockade of the Shinkafi-Gusau road,” the report reads.

“During the meeting, the leaders appealed for calm and implored Turji to abandon his plans for abductions and killings, particularly in Zamfara and neighbouring Sokoto State.

“They also urged him to release his grip on critical routes to ensure the free movement of people and goods.

“However, Turji gave no guarantees during the meeting, and it now appears that their efforts were unsuccessful.”