A letter purportedly from the office of the Prime Minister of Finland was shared on social media on February 16, 2023.
The letter, which was addressed to Simon Ekpa, warned him that if the sit-at-home protest he had planned for the days of the general elections in Nigeria was not called off within 48 hours, he would be charged with terrorism.
The letter, which features the Finnish government’s coat of arms, has been widely disseminated on social media and by well-known news outlets.
The letter was also posted to Twitter by Adamu Garba, the deputy director of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC PCC), with the caption, “Simon Ekpa is on his way to Nigerian prison. The Finnish authorities are after him. He’s now under global surveillance…”
Background
Simon Ekpa, a dual citizen of Finland and Nigeria, is a proponent of Biafra’s independence and the self-described spokesperson for the secessionist movement. Simon is renowned for his inflammatory social media posts and directives to stay at home.
In order to prevent Nigerians who reside in “Biafraland,” or the south-eastern region, from voting in the general elections, Simon issued a lockdown and curfew on February 13, 2023.
The Nigerian government expressed its disapproval of Simon Ekpa’s directive to stay at home, stating that he was quickly becoming a threat that would not be taken lightly.
Simon Ekpa’s directive had prompted the Nigerian ministry of foreign affairs to request the attendance of the Finnish ambassador at a meeting on February 14, 2023.
While responding, the Finnish Ambassador stated that the threats were already being investigated by the Finnish government to see how they fit into Finland’s legal framework, as he is a Finnish citizen whose rights must be respected.
Verification
CDD War Room contacted the Finnish Embassy in Nigeria, and we were informed that the letter is not an official correspondence of the Finnish government.
An official spokesperson of the Finnish government in Nigeria said the embassy has contacted Twitter to remove the letter from the micro-blogging platform.
Verdict
The letter is manipulated and does not originate from the Finnish government. There will be elections in southeastern Nigeria as planned by the Independent National Electoral commission.