Controversial Biafra agitator, Mr. Simon Ekpa, has been arrested by the Finnish authorities, along with four others, for alleged terrorism-related activities. Ekpa, who identifies as the “Prime Minister” of the Biafra Republic Government in Exile, is being held on suspicion of public incitement to commit crimes with terrorist intent.
Reports indicate that Finland’s Central Criminal Police secured a remand order from the District Court of Päijät-Häme to arrest Simon Ekpa.
Authorities allege that Ekpa, a Finnish citizen of Nigerian descent, born in the 1980s, used social media platforms to incite violence and other criminal acts in South-Eastern Nigeria.
A statement from the Central Criminal Police detailed the allegations, stating that Ekpa’s activities had led to several acts of violence against civilians and law enforcement agencies in Nigeria.
The Crime Commissioner, Otto Hiltunen, who is the lead investigator, disclosed that Simon Ekpa’s social media posts were a primary medium for promoting these attrocious activities.
Four other individuals were also arrested along with Simon Ekpa for allegedly financing terrorist activities linked to the case.
Finnish authorities are conducting extensive investigation to uncover the full scope of the crimes.
The arrest of Simon Ekpa marks a significant development in international law enforcement cooperation as Ekpa has been a controversial figure advocating for Biafra independence, often through contentious means.
Before Ekpa’s arrest, his once ally, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), had used several opportunity to denounce Ekpa’s resort to instigating and allegedly arming terrorist groups and kidnappers, who Kanu said, had deviated from the non-violent approach to self determination of the IPOB he founded and is still promoting.
Kanu had a recent interview at the Federal High Court, Abuja, where he is being tried for terrorism and terrist-related activities, boasted that any day he is released from detention, Simon Ekpa’s violent activities in the South-East will be out to an end by him.
