Ekpa’s arrest will reduce insecurity, and tension in Southeast lEkpa was very reckless in his utterances and actions, let him pay for them lFG caused the security crisis, they know what to do; release Kanu now, not just arrest Ekpa –Archbishop Onuagha south-East residents call for a security summit, confidence building mechanism.

ENUGU –THE arrest of the leader of Autopilot, a group that claimed to be infiltrated by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, Simon Ekpa was received with joy in the South- East. This is because his group has hijacked the original peaceful activities of IPoB, and turned them into violence, killing, kidnapping, maiming, and destroying properties of residents of the South-East region.

He manipulated his destructive followers through social media, and called for illegal sit-at-home, resulting in violent enforcement by his followers. He gained more notoriety when he called for the boycott of Nigeria’s 2023 general elections. So when the information filtered into Nigeria that the Finnish authorities arrested him for alleged international terrorism-related offence, the people of the region heaved a sigh of relief.

His arrest there was received with joy in the region. However, the question remains; is his arrest and trial going to restore peace and security in the devastated region?

Residents of Ebonyi State lauded the arrest of Ekpa. Some of the residents of Abakaliki who spoke to SEV called for Ekpa’s extradition to be prosecuted in Nigeria. They insisted that Simon Ekpa should pay for the many lives and properties lost in the South-East following his reckless utterances and actions. They also alleged that he has committed grave atrocities against the people of the region through his violent speeches, inciting videos, and declaring a sit-at-home at will.

A businessman at Abakaliki International Market, Elias Nwibo said Ekpa has caused several atrocities and havoc in the zone without considering the implications to the ordinary citizens. He believes that his arrest will restore peace to the zone as his lieutenants, foot soldiers, and field marshals will be on the run.

Nwibo urged the stakeholders and governors of the zone to use this opportunity to champion the crusade for peace and give all the agitators a chance to embrace peace and restore security in the zone.

We are happy that Ekpa has been arrested with others by the Finnish authorities over their involvement in terrorism activities. He has caused much damage to the South-East zone. We want him to be brought back to Nigeria to face the wrath of the law because nobody is above the law.

 

“We are all Biafrans and want to secede from present Nigeria due to maltreatment but we have to follow due process. But, Ekpa wanted to kill everybody through his voice notes and videos from the comfort of his abode, causing tension and attacks on innocent citizens. Now he is behind bars, I think peace will gradually return to the zone,” he said