An Abuja-based human rights lawyer, Barrister Christopher Chidera, has dismissed any comparison between the ongoing trial of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu and the conviction of Simon Ekpa in Finland.
Reports on Monday indicated that a Finnish court convicted Ekpa, who styles himself as the Prime Minister of Biafra, on terrorism-related charges.
Reacting to the development, Chidera, a member of Kanu’s global defence team, faulted a social media article titled “From Finland to Nigeria: What Ekpa’s Conviction Teaches Us About Kanu and the Biafran Question”.
The lawyer described the publication as propaganda aimed at misleading the public and influencing Kanu’s case ahead of his next court appearance.
“Let it be clear from the outset: this article is not journalism; it is propaganda crafted to deceive the public and to prepare the ground for a judicial ambush against Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” Chidera said in a statement on Monday.
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He stressed that Kanu’s situation is fundamentally different from Ekpa’s, insisting that while Ekpa’s trial abroad led to a lawful conviction, Kanu’s case amounts to unlawful persecution in Nigeria.
The IPOB leadership had earlier distanced itself from Ekpa’s activities, maintaining that his conviction had nothing to do with the group and that he would face the consequences of his actions alone.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.
