Simon Ekpa, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has been arrested in Finland alongside four others on suspicion of terror-related activities. Ekpa, a Finnish-Nigerian separatist agitator, was remanded in custody by the District Court of Päijät-Häme on allegations of inciting crimes with terrorist intent through separatist propaganda on social media.
According to the Finnish authorities, Ekpa used his platform to advocate for violence in southeastern Nigeria while based in Finland, with the alleged crimes dating back to August 2021. The police are also investigating financial links to terrorist activities involving Ekpa and the other suspects.
Ekpa’s online rhetoric has been accused of fueling attacks on civilians and government forces in Nigeria, with a controversial video from February 2023 showing him declaring that no elections would take place in the Biafra region, further endorsing violence as “self-defense”.
The Central Criminal Police in Finland confirmed the arrests, stating that the five individuals are being investigated for crimes linked to terrorism. The police added that four others were arrested for financing a terrorist crime, with international cooperation carried out during the preliminary investigation.
This marks Ekpa’s second arrest in Finland, following his previous detention in 2023 on suspicion of illegal fundraising, from which he was released shortly after. As the investigation continues, Finnish authorities emphasize that Ekpa remains a suspect until proven guilty.