Claim that Finland is planning to extradite Nigerian separatist leader in July 2025 is false
'Simon Ekpa to Be Extradited to Nigeria from Finland in July,' reads the headline of an X post published on April 22, 2025.
Image
Screenshot of the false post, taken on April 28, 2025
Shared more than 100 times, the post claims that Finnish authorities have confirmed Ekpa's extradition to Nigeria to face charges related to terrorism and incitement of violence in July 2025.
'The decision follows months of diplomatic negotiations and legal proceedings between Nigeria and Finland, marking a significant step in addressing the unrest linked to Ekpa's activities in Nigeria's southeast,' the post reads.
Attached is an image of Ekpa in an orange jumpsuit standing behind prison bars.
The post was published by an account under the username 'Pastor Okezie J. Atañi.' It has more than 49,000 followers and mostly shares content in support of Nigerian President Bola Tinubu's administration and his All Progressives Congress (APC) party.
Similar claims were spotted here and here on Facebook.
Ekpa's case
Ekpa, a dual citizen of Finland and Nigeria, is a self-proclaimed leader of a faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a group pushing for the independence of Nigeria's southeast. The region was plagued by civil war in the late 1960s.
The separatist leader has been in jail since November 21, 2024, when Finnish authorities detained him on suspicion of terrorism-related activities for his online independence campaign that allegedly incited violence against civilians (archived here).
In March 2025, the Nigeria Sanctions Committee (NSC) designated Ekpa and 16 entities as alleged terrorism financiers in the country, ordering the immediate identification and freezing of all bank accounts and assets connected to them (archived here).
Speaking to BBC Pidgin on April 16, 2025, Ekpa's lawyer, Kaarle Gummerus, said that the separatist leader will appear in a Finnish court in June 2025 for pre-trial hearings (archived here).
However, the claim about Ekpa's imminent extradition to Nigeria is false.
'Fake news'
Since his arrest, there have been no credible reports on any diplomatic arrangement for Ekpa's expatriation from Finland to Nigeria.
In an email response to AFP Fact Check, Finland's National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) senior detective Mikko Laaksonen, said Finnish police are 'not aware of any extradition decision'.
Gummerus also responded to the claim in an email on April 28, 2025, dismissing it as 'fake news'.
Two spokespersons from the Nigerian justice ministry -- Modupe Ogundoro and Kamarudeen Ogundele -- both denied knowledge of Ekpa's extradition plans in separate phone conversations with AFP Fact Check.
Meanwhile, we conducted a reverse image search on the image attached to the X post using Google Lens, and the results established that it was edited to add Ekpa's face.
The original image is a stock photo uploaded on iStock on May 7, 2018 (archived here).
Image
The stock photo (left) and the altered image with Ekpa's face, taken on April 28, 2025
AFP Fact Check has previously debunked other claims related to Ekpa's arrest here and here.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Euronews
9 hours ago
- Euronews
Jared Leto accused of sexual misconduct by nine women
Oscar-winning American actor and Thirty Seconds From Mars frontman Jared Leto has been accused of sexual misconduct by nine women. In a report published by Air Mail, multiple women accused the 53-year-old star of Fight Club, Requiem For A Dream, Dallas Buyers Club and Suicide Squad of inappropriate behaviour. The allegations date back to the early 2000s, with one woman calling it 'an open secret' that he texted sexual remarks to teenage models. Allegations against Leto emerged last month, when DJ Allie Teilz shared an old Facebook post, written in 2012, on her Instagram Story. 'Youre [sic] not really in L.A. until Jared Leto tries to force himself on you backstage… In a kilt.. And a snow hat. I was assaulted and traumatized by this creep when I was 17,' she wrote. In separate story, she added: 'He knew my age and didn't care. What he did was predatory, terrifying and unacceptable.' One woman told the publication that in 2006, when she was 16-years-old, Leto approached her outside a Los Angeles café. She claimed Leto was sat with fellow actor Ashley Olsen – who was then 19 – and he had grabbed her arm. 'I looked down and it was Jared Leto,' she told Air Mail, adding: 'We had a quick conversation, and he got my number.' She went on to say that Leto called her home a few days later, recalling: 'I don't know if he was on drugs or what … It was the weirdest, grossest voice … [but] for me, it's Jared, you know?' 'And the conversations turned sexual,' she continued. 'He'd ask things like: 'Have you ever had a boyfriend? Have you ever sucked a dick?'' Model Laura La Rue came forward with similar claims, saying that when she was 16-years-old in 2008, she was at an event in a private residence in Beverly Hills where Leto was 'watching her so intensely'. 'He asked how old I was. I said, 'I'm 16. How old are you?'' La Rue told Air Mail. Leto, who was 36 at the time, then reportedly asked for her number. The two began an email correspondence, which resulted in her visiting Leto's home in April 2009, the outlet alleges. 'I remember him teasing me the whole time I was there,' La Rue said, adding: 'He was flirting with me. He'd lean in close, then pull away, like it was a game.' She described a separate visit when she was 17 years old, where she alleged Leto walked out of a room completely naked. 'He just walked out, dick out, like it was normal… I thought maybe this was just what adult men do,' she said. Another woman who spoke to the outlet said that she and Leto began texting while she was still underage. She alleged he would ask her inappropriate questions during her visits to his house, including 'Do any of the little boys you hang out with fuck you?' The woman alleged that once, when she was 18, Leto had 'suddenly pulled his penis out and started masturbating'. She told Air Mail: 'He walked over, grabbed my hand, and put it on him. He leaned in and said: 'I want you to spit on it.'' A representative of Leto has 'expressly denied' the multiple accusations reported in the Air Mail exposé, saying the claims were 'demonstrably false'. This is not the first time that Leto's behaviour has been questioned and called out. Similar claims were made in 2005, when The New York Post shared a story with the opening line: 'Jared Leto likes 'em young' after he had been spotted with Olsen and Lindsay Lohan. At the time, sources told the publication he had been 'aggressively pursuing many of the teen models shacked up at the Maritime Hotel'. In 2018, Metro reported on a Twitter post made by Dylan Sprouse, who is married to model Barbara Palvin. The post read: 'Yo @JaredLeto now that you've slid into the DMs of every female model aged 18–25, what would you say your success rate is?' Guardians Of The Galaxy and Superman director James Gunn replied to Sprouse's tweet at the time, saying: 'He starts at 18 on the internet?' The world of football makes regular headlines for huge money-spinning transfers as fans eagerly anticipate what wonders players will bring to their team. This week has seen one of the biggest moves in the fashion business with the iconic French maison Dior now hoping Jonathan Anderson will liberally sprinkle his magic dust about its men's and women's collections to boost its fortunes. For almost a decade, the Northern Irish designer led the LVMH-owned Spanish fashion house Loewe – an unmitigated success story, increasing the brand's annual revenues fivefold. Now, he steps into a historic role at Dior, becoming the first person since Christian Dior himself to serve as its sole creative director. It's a major moment for the 40-year-old designer, whose journey began far from the runways of Paris. Born in Magherafelt, a small town in Northern Ireland, Anderson left home at 18 to pursue acting in the US. He later changed course and returned to Europe. Drawing on his childhood passion for theatre and costume, he decided to study at the London College of Fashion, where he graduated. Last year, Anderson was named one of the 100 most influential people by Time magazine, praising 'his innate understanding of how fashion and human behavior intertwine' and how 'his work is always ahead of the curve'. His sense of cultural timing has been noticeable throughout the years. Think back to February 2020, just before the world shut down, Harry Styles was rehearsing for the Today show in a colourful, patchwork JW Anderson cardigan. The knitted sweater quickly went viral on TikTok, where users began crocheting their own versions – unaware of just how much time lockdown would soon give them to perfect their craft skills. Another example is Rihanna's headline-making pregnancy reveal at the 2023 Super Bowl halftime show, where she wore a striking all-red jumpsuit and breastplate designed by Anderson. The bold look subtly confirmed her second pregnancy to millions watching worldwide, creating a viral craze. Or when Anderson decided to make then 87-year-old Dame Maggie Smith the face of Loewe campaign, showing that fashion doesn't have an age. In a Vogue Business interview Dior CEO Delphine Arnault called him 'the most talented designer of his generation.' Praising his experience at Loewe and leadership within the group, Arnault added, 'He has great experience managing large teams, even though he is only 40. More importantly, he has a very clear vision for the brand.' Anderson steps into the role following former creative director for women's collections, Maria Grazia Chiuri. The Italian designer Grazia Chiuri was also celebrated by Arnault for her 'tremendous work with an inspiring feminist perspective and exceptional creativity, all imbued with the spirit of Monsieur Dior, which allowed her to design highly desirable collections.' Arnault said, 'She has written a key chapter in the history of Christian Dior, greatly contributing to its remarkable growth and being the first woman to lead the creation of women's collections.' Anderson is competitive by nature – something he may have inherited from his father, Willie Anderson, a former Ireland international rugby player. Anderson sees clear parallels between sports and fashion, once telling The Independent: 'Sportspeople are extremely competitive – to win. And in fashion, when you see someone do something brilliant, it drives you to do something better… to keep outdoing yourself". His parents have always been supportive. In an interview with The Irish News, they said, 'They believed in a kid who had monumental talent, and we were the same. We saw something in Jonathan. And then we went about ensuring in his early days that we could help him fulfil his dream. You'll do anything for your kid if you believe their dream is not something that's beyond them.' His father Willie even admitted that he and Anderson's mother Heather 're-mortgaged the house to try and get him through certain points.' In 2008, he launched his eponymous label, JW Anderson, in which LVMH acquired a minority stake in 2013. In 2015, JW Anderson made history at the British Fashion Council's Fashion Awards by becoming the first house to win both Menswear and Womenswear Brand of the Year in the same year. The brand is known for blurring the line between men's and womenswear, often labeled androgynous or gender-bending, though Anderson himself prefers the term "unisex". Thankfully for his parents and their home, Anderson has more than delivered.
AFP
12 hours ago
- AFP
Misleading posts claim Malaysian government 'removed gas subsidies for all businesses'
"The government has lost its mind. Gas subsidies for businesses have been removed. Small business owners feel like they cannot raise prices again after multiple cost increases," reads a Malay-language Facebook post on June 2, 2025. Image Screen shot of the false post taken on June 3, 2025 The claims surfaced after the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) announced a five-month operation beginning May 1 to curb the use of subsidised liquified petroleum gas (LPG) by the commercial and industrial sectors, as well as to crack down on illegal decanting activities (archived link). It also said businesses will no longer be allowed to use subsidised cooking gas and will need to switch to commercial gas cylinders, which cost three times the price of household cylinders (archived link). The launch of the operation prompted lawmakers to claim it would cause small businesses to increase prices for consumers, with one opposition lawmaker calling it "robbery" by the government. Similar claims were shared elsewhere on Facebook, and in a group with more than 35,000 members. Users left comments indicating they were misled, with one saying: "The current government is not helping people but adding to the burden." Another said: "The government has gone too far." However, the operation does not target small businesses. No abolishment of subsidies KDPN minister Armizan Mohd Ali refuted the misleading claim in a statement released via state news agency Bernama on June 3, saying the main purpose of the operation was to combat illegal decanting activities, smuggling of LPG and the use of subsidised gas by large and medium-scale industries (archived link). "Through this operation, there are no new policies and regulations, let alone cuts and abolishment of LPG subsidies as claimed by certain parties," the statement said. Instead, small businesses using less than three cylinders of the subsidised gas a day are allowed to keep using the cheaper product, while larger commercial operations using more than three at any one time would require a permit and cannot purchase subsidised gas, the minister said. The Communications Ministry's Department of Information issued a similar clarification on Facebook on May 31 (archived link). Penang Hawkers Association chairman Ooi Thean Huat told AFP that small businesses in the northern state typically only need up to three gas cylinders a day, allowing them to use the subsidised 12kg cylinders, which are sold for 26 ringgit ($6 USD). However, Ooi noted that even switching to the unsubsidised cylinders would not lead to price hikes for customers. "If we use the non-subsidised cylinders, two a day should be enough. There will be no changes to the prices of food because you do get more gas with the commercial cylinders," he said.
Euronews
2 days ago
- Euronews
Brussels, my love? Poles choose 'ordinary man' for President
This week we are joined by Mika Aaltola, a Finnish MEP representing the centre-right European People's Party, Dorota Bawolek, a seasoned EU correspondent for Polish broadcaster TVP and Ian Lesser, Vice President of the German Marshall Fund, the transatlantic think tank. US President Donald Trump's renewed trade offensive has left Brussels rather stressed with sweeping tariffs hitting European steel, aluminium, and car exports — and threats of more to come. European Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič is trying to defuse the crisis, warning that retaliatory EU measures could kick in as early as July 14. MEP Mika Aaltola blasted the US approach as 'unfair treatment'. The OECD also warned this week that Trump's tariffs are dragging global growth to its weakest levels since the COVID-19 pandemic. In a very tight presidential race, Poland elected conservative Karol Nawrocki, a nationalist and eurosceptic, narrowly defeating pro-EU candidate and Warsaw mayor Rafał Trzaskowski. The result marks a blow for Prime Minister Donald Tusk who has called for a vote of confidence in his government early next week. Nawrocki's rhetoric — emphasizing national sovereignty, anti-migrant policies, and a rejection of 'Brussels diktats' — has alarmed Europhiles. However, his nationalist platform resonated with a rather divided electorate. "He's not very presidential", Dorota Bawolek told the panel adding that history shows Poles prefer an 'ordinary guy'. Finally, the panel discuss the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez' diplomatic setback after the EU Council rejected his proposal to make Catalan, Basque, and Galician official EU languages. The move, promised to Catalan separatists in exchange for political support, was rejected by member states over fears of a domino effect involving other regional languages. Watch the full episode in the player above. Italians will begin voting on Sunday in a referendum on whether to relax citizenship laws, but there are fears that turnout will be so low that it will invalidate the result. The two-day referendum, ending on Monday, will also ask voters if they agree with reversing a decade-old liberalisation of the labour market. The labour market questions aim to make it more difficult to dismiss some employees and increase compensation for workers who are made redundant by small businesses, reversing a law passed by a Democratic Party (PD) government around a decade ago. But it's the question about citizenship which has attracted the most attention among Italian voters. Concerns about the scale of immigration helped push Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's far-right Brothers of Italy party to power in 2022. Italians will be asked if they support the idea of reducing the period of residence required to apply for Italian citizenship from 10 years to five. Organisers of the referendum say that, if passed, it could affect around 2.5 million foreign nationals in Italy. Italy's birth rate is in steep decline, and economists say the country needs more foreigners to boost its stagnant economy. For foreigners in Italy, the primary channel to citizenship is through naturalisation, which can occur after 10 years of continuous residence in the country. The applicant must also demonstrate that they have integrated into society, possess a minimum income, have a clean criminal record, and can speak Italian adequately. The residence prerequisite is considerably shorter for citizens of other EU member states, who have to wait just four years to apply. Riccardo Magi, secretary of the liberal Più Europa party, supports decreasing the length of time required to apply for citizenship. He calls the current rules "old and unjust" and says they have only been in force for so long because successive governments have lacked the political will for change. Magi thinks the referendum proposal is reasonable because it only reduces the residence time requirement while leaving the other requirements unchanged. He says the current law "forces hundreds of thousands of girls and boys born or raised in Italy to live as foreigners in what is also their country." Magi also believes the amendment would have indirect positive effects on many of these minors born or resident in Italy, to whom citizenship would be passed on by at least one New Italian parent. "Those are who are rooted, work, pay taxes, study... must be able to vote and participate in public votes. This is the liberal idea of citizenship," he said. But the Noi Moderati party has said its position on the referendum is a resounding no, the centrist party's vice-president Maria Chiara Fazio told Euronews. "Citizenship is the deepest link between the state and the individual," Fazio stressed. "It cannot be the subject of a referendum simplification: it is a topic that requires in-depth study, mutual listening and a serious parliamentary debate." Fazio defended the structure of the current law, but acknowledged some bureaucratic aspects need to be tightened up as they leave many candidates in limbo. But the Noi Moderati's position on the referendum is not unusual. The leaders of two of the coalition parties, Antonio Tajani of Forza Italia and Matteo Salvini of Lega or the League, have both said they will not vote on Sunday. Meloni will attend a polling station but will also not cast a ballot. That indifference to the referendum appears to have trickled down to regular voters too. A Demopolis institute poll carried out in May estimated turnout to be between 31% and 39%, well short of the threshold required to make the result binding.
