FLASH: Finland Authorities Detain Simon Ekpa, Making it Second Time Since 2023

The Päijät-Häme District Court made the decision following a hearing in Lahti, Finland, where Ekpa was alleged to have incited crimes with terrorist intent, according to reports from Finland, the International Centre for Investigative Journalism (ICIR) confirms.

The Finland authorities reported that the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) accused Ekpa of leveraging his leadership in a Nigerian separatist group to promote violent activities in southeastern Nigeria.

According to the NBI, these activities, which reportedly targeted civilians and government forces, were coordinated through social media from Finland.

Otto Hiltunen, detective chief inspector,  revealed that the investigation focused on Ekpa and four other suspects, all of whom are accused of financing terrorism

According to him, all five suspects were apprehended earlier this week, adding that the accused are residents of Lahti and Helsinki, with one suspect having no registered address in Finland.

Meanwhile, this was not the first time the Finnish government had arrested Ekpa.

The pro-Biafra agitator was arrested in Finland days after the Nigerian government expressed concern over his inciting comments and the imposition of a sit-at-home order on residents of Nigeria’s South-East, which could disrupt the elections scheduled for February 25, 2023,  in the region.

Ekpa was detained by authorities in Lahti in February 2023, and would later be released in the evening of that day.

Ekpa’s arrest also came weeks after an investigation revealed how Ekpa and his men raise funds for their operations under the Biafra Republic Government in Exile (BRGIE), through fundraising meetings held worldwide.