Simon Ekpa arrested in Finland over terrorism allegations

Finnish authorities have arrested Simon Ekpa, a Nigerian separatist leader and self-proclaimed Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government in Exile, alongside four others, over allegations of terrorism-related activities.

The Päijät-Häme District Court on Thursday remanded Ekpa in custody on charges of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent. Finland’s Central Criminal Police also confirmed the arrest of the other suspects, who are accused of financing terrorist activities.

A statement from the Finnish police revealed that Ekpa, described as the primary suspect, allegedly used his platform to promote violence against civilians and authorities in southeastern Nigeria.

The police further disclosed that Ekpa, a Finnish citizen of Nigerian descent born in the 1980s, has been at the centre of investigations linking him to acts of terror.

“The man has carried out this activity, among other things, on his social media channels,” said Crime Commissioner Otto Hiltunen, head of the investigation. The remaining four suspects face allegations of providing financial support to the activities under scrutiny.

Authorities confirmed that all five individuals were detained earlier this week and that international cooperation played a crucial role in advancing the investigation.

Finnish police have stated that the Päijät-Häme District Court will hear the charges today, November 21, as investigations into the case continue. A source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told BusinessDay that ” there is no official reaction to the arrest yet. It’s a national security issue, we are very careful before we react.”