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Finnish Court To Decide Ekpa’s Terrorism Case By May 2025

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4 hours ago

Nov 28, 2024.

Simon Ekpa, a pro-Biafran agitator and self-proclaimed Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government-in-Exile, will potentially face charges in May 2025 in Finland for terrorism-related offenses, including incitement to violence and terrorism financing.

Finnish authorities arrested Ekpa and four others last week, accusing him of using social media to incite violence in Nigeria’s South-East region.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that Ekpa’s arrest followed allegations of orchestrating attacks targeting civilians and law enforcement, with his activities traced back to 2021.

Finnish police confirmed his detention by the Päijät-Häme District Court, which cited public incitement to commit crimes with terrorist intent. Authorities also linked Ekpa to the enforcement of violent sit-at-home orders, which have caused economic losses exceeding ₦4 trillion in two years in the South-East.

International collaboration is central to the investigation, though Finnish authorities remain tight-lipped on its scope.

Ekpa’s rhetoric escalated before Nigeria’s 2023 elections, where he called for a boycott, leading to widespread violence.

The Finnish government responded to global petitions from Nigerians urging action against Ekpa, prompting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to summon Finland’s ambassador for cooperation in addressing his threats.

Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe welcomed Ekpa’s arrest, describing it as a crucial step toward curbing violence in the South-East.

He criticized Ekpa for deviating from IPOB’s original non-violent goals and exploiting Biafran sentiments for criminal activities. Abaribe emphasized that legitimate agitations must reject violence, which has alienated the South-East from broader national support.

Ifeanyi Ejiofor, counsel for IPOB, dismissed rumors of a December 2 Biafran declaration and called for peace.

He condemned Ekpa as a “serial fraudster” and urged those misled by his actions to abandon violence. Ejiofor reiterated that the Igbo struggle for justice must rely on lawful, peaceful means, rejecting strategies rooted in fraud and criminality.

Finnish Court Ekpa’s Terrorism Case

Ekpa, a Nigerian-born Finnish citizen, remains under investigation, with authorities closely monitoring his social media platforms. Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has pledged to follow the legal proceedings in Finland as the case progresses.