Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has stated that the arrest of pro-Biafran agitator, Simon Ekpa, in Finland on terrorism-related charges in November 2024 has led to improved security in the South East.
Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, Musa confirmed that Ekpa is still facing prosecution in Finland.
He also revealed that military operations are underway to capture Ekpa’s lieutenants in Imo, Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi, and Abia states.
When asked about the latest on Ekpa, the CDS stated, “He’s still undergoing prosecution in Finland. And so we’re hopeful.
“When we talked about him, people felt we were just making it up. But since he had been arrested, the South East is getting better.
“So the likes of him, we’re going to go after them wherever they are, and whatever it takes, we’re going to bring them.”
Musa hailed the arrest of Ansaru terrorist commanders as a key success, attributing it to coordinated efforts by the Nigerian armed forces.
“That’s why the Ansaru guys, too, are a good win for all of us. There are other ones we are following.
“The other ones that we don’t talk about, we also look at them and pull them out. And I think clearly we’ll do that,” he added.
He stressed that increased synergy among security agencies has driven recent achievements in the anti-terrorism campaign.
The CDS announced that the Defence Headquarters plans to host an African Chiefs of Defence Staff conference to bolster continental efforts against terrorism.
“In order to achieve more, because no nation is an island, we’re also organising our African Chiefs of Defence Staff Conference starting on Monday, where all the Chiefs of Defence Staff in Africa, for the first time, coming to Nigeria for to discuss, because we see that these incidents are not respected anywhere.
“Mozambique is facing issues, Ghana is beginning to face issues, Burkina Faso, Mali, and all other areas. So it’s important that we come together as brothers and sisters, discuss our problems, and provide solutions,” Musa said.
