Southeast More Peaceful Since Simon Ekpa’s Arrest – Defence Chief General Musa

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, says the Southeast region of Nigeria has experienced relative peace since the arrest of pro-Biafran agitator Simon Ekpa in Finland in November 2024.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Thursday, August 21, General Musa confirmed that Ekpa is still undergoing prosecution by Finnish authorities for terrorism-related offences.

“Since his arrest, the Southeast is getting better,” General Musa stated. “When we talked about him initially, some people thought we were exaggerating. But his arrest has had a clear impact.”

The Defence Chief revealed that military operations have been intensified to track down Ekpa’s associates across the Southeast, specifically in Imo, Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi, and Abia states.

“We are going after the likes of him, wherever they are and whatever it takes. That’s why the arrest of Ansaru commanders is also a major win for us. There are others we’re not speaking about yet, but we’ll get them too,” he added.

General Musa highlighted the importance of inter-agency collaboration, crediting the Nigerian Army, Navy, and Air Force for the successful operations.

“What has changed is the synergy among all the security forces. That’s the reason behind the recent successes,” he said.

He described the arrest of top Ansaru terrorist commanders as a significant milestone in ongoing counter-terrorism efforts.