The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, credits the arrest of pro-Biafran agitator Simon Ekpa in Finland with a great reduction in insecurity in the South-East region of Nigeria.
He also attributes the launch of Operation Udoka, by the Defence Headquarters to combat the unrest, to the gradual restoration of peace in the region.
During his appearance before the House Committee on Defence to defend the 2025 defence budget yesterday, Gen. Musa stressed the diminishing impact of the Monday sit-at-home protests, a key tactic of pro-independence groups.
He said, The DHQ in 2024 launched Operation Udoka to combat growing insecurity in the South-East, which has been linked to the agitation for a sovereign Biafran nation.
It would be recalled that Ekpa, a self-acclaimed leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra based in Finland, was apprehended in November 2024 by Finnish security agents owing to his violent and inciting campaigns on radio and social media.
Additionally, while interacting with lawmakers on Tuesday, the defence chief said, “With the arrest of Simon Ekpa, the tension in the South-East has greatly decreased. Also with Operation Udoka, we’re picking up most of the leadership of these groups, taking them out, and making sure that the place is peaceful.
“The sit-at-home on Mondays is gradually stopping. We’re also working with the political leaders there because we understand, like I always say, that we need local support because, without it, it’s difficult. You know, the terrain is very challenging, so we need to work together. It is improving.”
He also pledged the continuous deployment of non-kinetic approaches to tackling the insecurity challenges in the region.
