The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), on Thursday, said that investigation of terrorism acts against Simon Ekpa in Finland is the main reason for his delayed extradition.
The Justice Minister stressed that once his issue with the Finnish government is determined, the process of his extradition from Finland to Nigeria will intensify.
“He committed an offence against the Finnish government as well as in Nigeria. His extradition will come at the right time”, the AGF stated.
Recall that Ekpa was arrested in November 2024, along with four other individuals, who were later let off the hook.
However, Finnish authorities have now referred his matter to the Deputy Prosecutor General, who is expected to decide whether formal charges are to be pressed against him in Finland.
Similarly, Fagbemi stated that the Justice Ministry had successfully extradited two fugitives, Hassan Bun Hussein Abolore Lawal in January 2025 and Okechukwu Josiah Odunna in March, 2025, to the United States of America.
He added that the ministry is cooperating with the Qatari authorities for the extradition of one Benjamin Nnanyereugo a.k.a Killaboi from Qatar back to Nigeria in April, 2025, to face murder charges for the unlawful killing of his girlfriend, Augusta.
Meanwhile, the AGF has reaffirmed his ministry’s commitment to upholding the rule of law, ensuring equitable access to justice, and building a justice system that is fair, transparent, and responsive to the needs of all citizens.
Prince Fagbemi insisted the office of AGF and Justice Ministry are determined to foster a justice sector that inspires confidence and delivers on its mandate to serve the people.
“We shall remain steadfast in our dedication to fostering a justice system that is fair, efficient, and upholds the highest standards of integrity by safeguarding the rights of all and promoting equitable and speedy access to justice.
“To sustain the foregoing objectives, we will continue to refine our procedures, invest in capacity building and inter-agency collaboration with key justice sector stakeholders, in line with the National Policy on Justice (2024 – 2028), which provides the framework for improving access to justice, judicial independence, and efficiency”, Fagbemi stated.