Finnish authorities have arrested Simon Ekpa, a Finnish-Nigerian separatist leader, along with four other individuals over allegations of terrorism-related activities. The charges include incitement to violence and funding terrorist activities.
The Päijät-Häme District Court in Finland has ordered Ekpa’s detention on accusations of publicly encouraging crimes with terrorist intent. Finnish news outlet Yle reported that the Finnish Central Criminal Police confirmed the arrests in a statement issued on Thursday.
According to the police, the other four suspects were taken into custody for allegedly providing financial support for terrorist actions.
“The detention demands are related to a preliminary investigation in which a Finnish citizen of Nigerian descent, born in the 1980s, is suspected of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent,” the police said.
Authorities allege that Ekpa has used social media platforms to promote violent actions against civilians and officials in Nigeria’s South-East region. Detective Chief Inspector Otto Hiltunen stated, “The man has carried out this activity, among other things, on his social media channels.”
The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation revealed that two of the other suspects reside in Helsinki. Ekpa himself is accused of playing a leading role in coordinating these activities from Finland.
This is not the first time Ekpa has faced legal trouble in Finland. In 2023, he was briefly detained over allegations of fundraising fraud. He is also known for his inflammatory statements, including his call to prevent elections in Nigeria, as seen in a widely shared video where he proclaimed, “No elections will be held! Nigerian elections will not be allowed in Biafran territory.”
