In a significant development, Finnish authorities have taken a firm stance against extremism by charging Simon Ekpa with inciting terrorism online. This move underscores the country’s commitment to tackling security threats and upholding the rule of law. As the case unfolds, it highlights the importance of holding individuals accountable for actions that could potentially harm innocent lives and destabilise communities. The outcome of this case will likely have far-reaching implications, serving as a crucial test of Finland’s resolve to combat terrorism and protect its citizens.

Simon Ekpa, a leader of the proscribed militant group Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has been imprisoned in Finland on charges of alleged terrorist activities.

According to local news reports from Finland, the District Court of Päijät-Häme ordered Ekpa, a municipal politician in Lahti with a Nigerian background, to be held in prison based on probable cause and suspicion of publicly inciting people to commit crimes with terrorist intent.

The court stated that Simon Ekpa is alleged to have spread separatist propaganda on social media.

The suspected timeframe for the charged crime is from August 23, 2021, and the location is Lahti.

In addition to Ekpa, the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation also sought the arrest of four other men on suspicion of terrorist offences.

Ekpa, a Finnish citizen born in 1985, had previously stated that he leads a separatist group operating in Nigeria to form an independent state of Biafra in the southeastern part of the country.

Police say they suspect Ekpa promoted his efforts from Finland, which led to violence against civilians and authorities, as well as other crimes in Southeast Nigeria.

“The man is carrying out these activities on his social media channels, for example,” stated Detective Chief Inspector Otto Hiltunen of the National Bureau of Investigation.

In a video he made during the 2023 general elections, Simon Ekpa, sitting in front of a computer camera in his kitchen in Lahti, declared that elections would not happen in the Biafra region, and everyone there must participate.

He also stated that he approved the use of violence.

“I condone violence against Nigerian government forces. It is a question of self-defense. They are constantly attacking us and they have committed numerous war crimes. We are forced to defend ourselves,” he said.

His speech garnered about 800,000 views on the instant messaging service, X (formerly Twitter).

According to the police, this request for detention is related to a pre-trial investigation of the Nigerian-born Finnish citizen who is suspected of publicly inciting people to commit crimes with terrorist intent.

The country’s National Bureau of Investigation had previously requested in a press statement the arrest of one person on suspicion of publicly inciting terrorist intent to commit a crime, and four individuals on suspicion of financing a terrorist offence.

All five suspects were arrested at the beginning of this week.

While Ekpa resides in Lahti, authorities stated that two of the other five suspects have addresses in Helsinki, and one has no registered address in the population register.

They added that international cooperation was conducted during the criminal investigation.

In June of this year, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa, accused the Finnish government of providing protection to Simon Ekpa and called on the Nigerian government to explore diplomatic options to ensure the secessionist leader is arrested.

“We have repeatedly complained about the issue of Simon Ekpa. He is in Finland, and the Finnish government is giving him all the support to continue what he is doing,” Musa claimed.

“The things he says, people are getting killed here, and they (the Finnish government) are not doing anything. This is democracy. If the European Union supports democracy and this kind of thing is happening and they are not taking any action, then they do not mean well for Nigeria.”

“We have said it clearly that we need to diplomatically find means of getting Ekpa to stop what he is doing. He must be arrested, he must be prosecuted.”

Simon Ekpa remains imprisoned in Finland as he awaits trial on serious terrorism-related charges. This development marks a significant step in addressing the activities linked to the separatist movement he is associated with and its impact in Nigeria.

The case is expected to proceed through the Finnish legal system, with a trial date to be set, while discussions around the broader implications of his alleged actions and potential future legal steps continue.