Simon Ekpa, a Nigerian-Finnish politician and IPOB leader, has been arrested in Finland over alleged terrorist activities. Authorities accuse him of inciting violence in southeastern Nigeria through separatist propaganda on social media. The investigation, involving international cooperation, also detained four others.
Finnish authorities have arrested Simon Ekpa, a Nigerian-Finnish politician and leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), on suspicion of terrorist activities. Ekpa was detained by Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation alongside four others, accused of publicly inciting crimes with terrorist intent and other offenses.
Reports indicate Ekpa has been promoting separatist propaganda through social media platforms, advocating for violence and opposing Nigeria’s government. A Finnish district court confirmed the arrest, linking the alleged offenses to events from August 2021 in Lahti, where Ekpa resides.
Investigators suspect Ekpa's actions, including calls for election boycotts and support for violence, have incited unrest in southeastern Nigeria. His online statements, notably during Nigeria's 2023 elections, included endorsements of self-defense and resistance against government forces.
Ekpa, a dual citizen born in 1985, is known for his outspoken stance on Biafra's independence and his association with IPOB's detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu. His activities, often shared with his 60,000 Twitter followers, have raised international concern over the violence in Nigeria's southeast.
This marks the second time Finnish authorities have detained Ekpa. In 2023, he was briefly held for alleged financial misconduct but released the same day.
Ekpa’s political party in Finland, the National Coalition Party, has remained silent about his membership and the current charges. Finnish officials emphasize that the investigation is ongoing, and no convictions have been made yet. The legal process could span years as authorities continue to probe the case.
