The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has argued that pro-Biafran agitator, Simon Ekpa, who was arrested in Finland in November 2024 for terrorism-related offences, is still being prosecuted by the Finnish authorities.
The defence chief, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Thursday, said since Ekpa’s arrest last November, relative peace has been experienced in the Southeast geopolitical zone of the country.
General Musa said troops have activated operations to apprehend Ekpa’s lieutenants in Imo, Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi and Abia states – all in the Southeast zone.
The defence chief said: “He (Ekpa) is still undergoing prosecution in Finland. So, we are hopeful. When we talked about him, people thought we were making noise, but since he has been arrested, the South East is getting better.
“We are going to go after the likes of him, wherever they are, and whatever it takes until we bring them down.
“That’s why the Ansaru (leaders’ arrest) is a good win for all of us. There are other ones we don’t talk about, we will also look at them and pull them out.”
The defence chief described the arrest of Ansaru terrorist commanders as significant, adding that thorough planning by the Nigerian Air Force, the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Navy went into the operation.
General Musa said synergy among the various military formations was responsible for the recent arrest of Ansaru terrorist leaders.
“What has changed is that we have synergy with all the organisations… and that is why we have seen all the successes.”
He said to achieve more results in the anti-terror war, the Defence Headquarters would organise an African Chiefs of Defence Staff conference starting Monday for continental synergy.