Finnish police on Thursday released a popular pro-Biafra separatist agitator, Simon Ekpa, hours after he was arrested and grilled.
The PUNCH earlier reported that Finnish authorities arrested Ekpa. The police escorted the separatist out of his apartment in Lahti.
Ekpa was later released on Thursday evening after the police allegedly arrested him for a suspected crime in Finland.
The Finnish Central Criminal Police confirmed Ekpa’s release on Thursday, according to HS reports.
The police claimed that its operation in Lahti and the subsequent arrest of the pro-Biafra agitator were in connection with the ongoing preliminary investigation.
“The person being questioned today is suspected of a crime. We will return to the title on Friday,” Tommi Reen from the Central Criminal Police told HS during a phone interview.
When contacted earlier, an official of the Finnish Embassy in Abuja who craves anonymity confirmed Ekpa’s arrest to The PUNCH. “It is our understanding that he is currently in police custody in Finland,” the official who is not authorised to speak to the press told The PUNCH.
“According to information available to us, the image is verified by Helsingin Sanomat, a Finnish newspaper; in it, Ekpa is seen being escorted out of his home in Lahti by plainclothes Finnish police”, the official volunteered.
Before his eventual arrest on Thursday, Nigerians all over the world have signed a petition appealing to the Finnish government, Nigerian Government and the European Union to arrest Ekpa, the brain behind the sit-at-home order in the South-East.
Ekpa, a self-acclaimed disciple of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, in had repeatedly ordered the people of the South-East to observe a sit-at-home and asked them to boycott the country’s general elections billed for Saturday.
His repeated sit-at-home order has been marked by bloodshed and destruction of lives and properties in the region by its enforcers.
The governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Adamawa State, Umar Mustapha, and his supporters, on Thursday, declared their support for the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress, Bola Tinubu, ditching the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Mustapha’s withdrawal of support for Obi followed the collapse of Umar Mustapha’s LP structure in Adamawa into that of the APC.
Umar who announced his backing of Tinubu said he found the people who ran the Labour party in the state to be as bad as the system he wanted to see changed.
Mustapha who’s popularly known as Otumba said his decision and that of his supporters, to support the candidate of another political party both at the national and state levels was made after it became clear to him that the party in the state will get nowhere based on the way it was set up in the state.
The PUNCH had earlier reported, that the governorship candidate of the LP and his supporters, had boycotted, the campaign rally of Obi.
In a statement detailing why he boycotted the Obi rally, Mustapha had, accused the party’s leadership and the LP Presidential Campaign Council of sidelining him.
Gunmen have reportedly killed the Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance in Ohofia Agba Ward, Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Monday Idoko.
It was learnt Idako was shot in the head in his Onueke village, in the Ezza South Council, of the state at about 11 p.m. on Wednesday.
A family relative who spoke in tears and pleaded anonymity said in a telephone interview that the assailants entered the village and dragged out the victim while asleep before shooting him in the head.
“My brother the story is very traumatic. It was a family member that alerted me that some unknown armed persons came to their house just before midnight, broke in and dragged him out before shooting him on the head.
“We wanted to rush him to the hospital but he died in the village. We have been in a mourning mood since last night,” he confirmed.
An APGA supporter in the area, who pleaded anonymity for fear of being traced said Idoko was busy making arrangements for a rescheduled visit to the area by the APGA governorship candidate, Prof Benard Odoh, before his life was cut shot by men of the underworld.
He described the deceased as a very industrious young man who gave his all in service to the party and humanity.
The PUNCH reports that Odoh’s convoy was attacked penultimate week within the same area, where his driver and a police inspector were assassinated and several others sustained varying degrees of injuries.
Also, another supporter of APGA in the Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state, Oscar Elom, was murdered in a similar manner when he was dragged out of his shop at Ngbo and shot in the head.
Efforts to reach the Ebonyi State Police Command for comment on this matter failed.
Calls made to the line of the Police Public Relations Officer of the command, Chris Anyanwu, were not answered. He was equally yet to respond to messages sent to his mobile as of the time of filing this report.
Gunmen on Wednesday kidnapped the wife of the traditional ruler of Amuro autonomous community in the Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo State, Ugoeze Umugborogu.
Apart from kidnapping the monarch’s wife, the rampaging gunmen also burnt the country homes of the chairmen of All Progressives Congress and Labour Party in Amuro ward.
The development caused panic in the community as residents fled their homes.
A source who doesn’t want to be mentioned told our correspondent that the attackers set the houses ablaze as soon as they arrived at the compounds.
The source said ” Ugoeze Umugborogu, the wife of the late king of Amuro autonomous community, has been kidnapped.
“After kidnapping the woman, they went to the house of the Labour Party chairman in Amuro ward, Ifediora Umugborogu and razed it. The man and his family were away when they struck.
“They equally razed the house of the APC chairman in the ward. This is going out of hand. The government should come to our rescue.”
Okigwe LGA has in the last few months become a hotbed for criminal activities.
Just on Tuesday, some gunmen razed five houses in Amagu Ihube community in Okigwe LGA which included the houses of the state commissioner for youths and sports, Emeka Okoronkwo, a former Dean of the Law Faculty of the Imo State University, Nnamdi Obiaraeri, a retired Director of State Security Service, Nnaemeka Ngwu and two others.
Gunmen had last week razed the country homes of the Labour Party House of Assembly candidate for Okigwe LGA, Nnaemeka Obiaraeri and that of the Director General of the candidate of the Labour Party Okigwe North House of Representatives election, Okey Unam.
The spokesperson for the police in the state, Henry Okoye, told our correspondent that he had yet to be briefed on the latest incidents.
Chairman of Emuoha Local Government Area, Chidi Llyod and Chief of staff to Governor Nyesom Wike; Emeka Woke earlier today in Ogbakiri for a grassroot sensitization rally.
Owo massacre - No protest from APC and tinubu Lekki tollgate massacre - No protest from APC and tinubu Multiple Benue massacre - No protest from APC and tinubu Southern Kaduna massacre - No protest from APC and tinubu
ASUU strike- no protest from Apc and tinubu CBN deadline - massive protest from APC because their thieving governors are stuck with illicit cash
If you are educated and still you didn't notice this then your education is a waste
OR
APC made a monetary policy
- APC started complaining about it APC’s policy
- APC says APC has introduced this policy to stop APC from winning the election for APC
- APC went to court to stop APC’s policy
- APC politician is the CBN governor
- APC is the ruling party
- APC is the opposition party
- APC justices at Supreme Court tried to stop APC
- APC refused to obey APC’s court order.
- APC campaign slogan is Rescue mission.
- APC wants to rescue APC from APC.
- APC is currently on trial against APC.
Nigerians please you are not dumb..lets send Apc and tinubu out for good
Below is the video of Delta people tearing down PDP poster today in the protest and they are accusing Atiku and the PDP of sponsoring the Naira scarcity issue.
Source:
Protesters accuse Emefiele, Atiku and PDP as masterminds of pains they suffered from Naira scarcity.
inoki247: LoL anywhere wey Obi sleep tonight and he start to watch the Area view of that Lagos rally he go dey look like horror movie for him eyes cos he no go believe am say with all the hype....
I love how Sanwooolu granted him the TBS square. Datti will soon start crying that they gave them oversized venue.
Peter Obi won’t get 25% requirement in Lagos. E sure me gan.
The 30% for opposition will be shared by him and Atiku.