The Päijät-Häme District Court in Finland has ordered the detention of Simon Ekpa, a prominent agitator for Biafra, on charges of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent. The court issued the ruling on Thursday after the Central Criminal Police presented evidence linking him to ongoing violence in Nigeria’s southeast, according to Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat.
Otto Hiltunen, the crime commissioner leading the investigation, revealed that Ekpa is suspected of orchestrating acts of violence against civilians in Southeastern Nigeria from Finland. “The suspect has utilized his social media platforms to carry out his activities,” Hiltunen stated.
Additionally, the police disclosed that four other individuals in Finland are suspected of financially supporting Ekpa’s operations. The authorities believe these efforts have fueled unrest and terror in Nigeria’s southeastern region, where the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), are active.
Ekpa, described as a resident of Lahti, Finland, with Nigerian heritage, has been under investigation for alleged crimes spanning over three years, from August 23, 2021, to November 18, 2024. This is not his first encounter with Finnish law enforcement. In February 2023, he was arrested in Lahti but was released the same day.
Through his social media channels, Ekpa has consistently called for the secession of Biafra and sought financial contributions to support IPOB and ESN. These groups have been linked to violence, killings, and destruction in Nigeria’s southeastern region, intensifying the unrest in the area.
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