Finland Arrests Simon Ekpa Over Terrorism, Incitement Charges

|By Adejumo Adekunle –

Finnish-Nigerian separatist leader Simon Ekpa has been arrested in Finland alongside four others for alleged involvement in terror-related activities, including incitement to violence and financing terrorism. The Päijät-Häme District Court remanded Ekpa in custody on charges of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent.

According to Finnish police, Ekpa is accused of using social media to incite violence and coordinate attacks against civilians and authorities in Nigeria’s South-East region. Detective Chief Inspector Otto Hiltunen confirmed, “The man has carried out this activity, among other things, on his social media channels.”

The Finnish Central Criminal Police revealed that two of the other suspects reside in Helsinki and are accused of terrorism financing. Ekpa, known for his separatist rhetoric, previously made headlines in 2023 when he called for a boycott of Nigerian elections in a viral video, declaring, “No elections will be held in Biafran territory.”

Finnish authorities highlighted the role of international cooperation in the investigation, with hearings for the suspects set for Thursday.