Group decries continued detention of Simon Ekpa, Ambazonia’s Cho

The Organisation of Emerging African States has raised an alarm over the continued detention of Simon Ekpa, a Biafra separatist, and Ayaba Lucas Cho, an Ambazonia agitator, in Finland and Norway, respectively.

The group lamented that charges brought against Ekpa and Cho were ill-motivated and aimed at suppressing the fundamental human rights of the accused by their home countries, Nigeria and Cameroon.

While demanding the release of the duo in line with the European Convention on Human Rights and internationally recognised treaties, it urged that the cases against the accused be transferred to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

OEAS legal counsel, Jonathan Levy, and Secretary General, Ebenezer Akwanga, made the call in a statement on Friday.

According to the organisation, Ekpa, the Prime Minister of the United States of Biafra, and Cho, leader of the Ambazonia Defence Forces, are being unjustly detained for seeking the right to self-determination and freedom for Biafra and Ambazonia.

The Finnish government had last year announced the arrest of Ekpa, alongside four others, on suspicion of terror-related activities, including incitement to violence and terrorism financing. Cho was also arrested by the Norwegian government on alleged incitement and terrorism-related offences.

The Finnish police confirmed that Ekpa, who described himself as the Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government-in-Exile, allegedly used social media to promote violence in the South-East region, targeting civilians and authorities.

But OEAS alleged that the Nigerian and Cameroonian governments are negotiating with Finland and Norway to illegally persecute Ekpa and Cho.
The group said: “Norway and Finland should be mindful that the accusers themselves are responsible for the situation in their respective countries, which resulted only after decades of their ongoing oppression of the Biafran and Ambazonian peoples.

“In 2024, Ekpa and Cho expanded upon the 2021 diplomatic agreement between Biafra and Ambazonia to include cooperation for mutual self-defense against human rights abuses. This alliance set off shockwaves across West Africa. Nigerian and Cameroonian officials began calling for the arrest and extradition of Ekpa and Cho.

“In August 2024, at a meeting of the Nordic countries’ ministers with the Nigerian government and ECOWAS in Abuja, an agreement for increased investment and political cooperation was reached, the price of which was apparently the arrest of Cho and Ekpa. Elina Valtonen, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland, was quoted in the Nigerian press on August 14, 2024, as promising Ekpa would soon be arrested.

“General Christopher Musa, Nigerian Armed Forces Chief of Staff, has announced that neutralising Ekpa is one of his top priorities,” OEAS stated.

The group reminded the governments of Norway and Finland that the applicable provisions of The European Convention on Human Rights, The Treaty on European Union, The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) apply to all EU citizens, including Ekpa and Cho.
“To the extent any evidence is discovered in the course of investigation that indicates war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity committed by the agents and armed forces of Cameroon and Nigeria,

“The matter should be referred to the International Criminal Court, which has the appropriate level of expertise to evaluate such evidence,” the organisation added.