By Chris Onuoha

The Organisation of Emerging African States (OEAS) has raised an alarm over the continued detention of rights activists, Simon Ekpa, and Ayaba Lucas Cho, an Ambazonia agitator in two separate European countries, saying the charges brought against the activists are ill-motivated and aimed at suppressing the fundamental human rights of the accusers by their home countries.

This was disclosed in a statement on Thursday jointly signed by OEAS legal counsel, Jonathan Levy, and Secretary General, Ebenezer Akwanga, alleging that Ekpa, described as the leader of the United States of Biafra and Cho, also leader of the Ambazonia Defence Forces, are being detained for seeking the right to self-determination and freedom for Biafra and Ambazonia. 

The group demanded the release of the two rights activists in line with the European Convention on Human Rights and internationally recognised treaties, as they also alleged that the governments of two African countries are negotiating with Finland and Norway to illegally persecute them.

OEAS urged that the cases against the accusers should be transferred to the International Criminal Justice Court, noting that Norway and Finland should be mindful that the accusers themselves are responsible for the situation in their respective countries, which resulted only after decades of their ongoing oppression of the Biafran and Ambazonian peoples. 

It stated, “In 2024, Ekpa and Cho expanded upon the 2021 diplomatic agreement between Biafra and Ambazonia to include cooperation for mutual self-defence against human rights abuses. This alliance set off shock waves across West Africa culminating to Nigerian and Cameroonian officials calling for the arrest and extradition of the activists. 

“Consequently, an agreement for increased investment and political cooperation was reached in August 2024 at a meeting of the Nordic countries’ ministers with the Nigerian government, the price of which was apparently the arrest of the activists, as quoted in the press by the Finland Minister for Foreign Affairs. 

“The  group further reminds the governments of the two Europeans that the applicable provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights, The Treaty on European Union, The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, social, and cultural rights (ICESCR) apply to all EU citizens, including Ekpa and Cho,” it added.

The statement also included that any evidence discovered in the course of investigation that indicates war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity committed by the agents and armed forces of the two African countries be referred to the International Criminal Court, which has the appropriate level of expertise to evaluate such evidences. 

Meantime, Ekpa and Cho were arrested by Finland and Norway on alleged incitement and terrorism-related offences. Recall that upon Ekpa’s arrest in Finland, Nigerian government said it has concluded plans to extradite him. The Cameroonian government had stated a similar move against Cho in Norway.