Simon Ekpa, a Finnish-Nigerian separatist leader, has been arrested in Finland alongside four others on suspicion of terror-related activities, including incitement to violence and terrorism financing.
According to Finnish media outlet Yle, the Päijät-Häme District Court remanded Ekpa in custody on charges of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent.
The Finnish Central Criminal Police confirmed the arrests in a statement on Thursday, revealing that the other suspects were detained for allegedly financing terrorist activities.
“The detention demands are related to a preliminary investigation in which a Finnish citizen of Nigerian descent, born in the 1980s, is suspected of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent,” the police stated.
Ekpa is accused of coordinating violent actions against civilians and authorities in Nigeria’s South-East region while operating from Finland. Detective Chief Inspector Otto Hiltunen, who is leading the investigation, noted that Ekpa used social media platforms to further his separatist agenda.
Two of the other suspects, according to authorities, reside in Helsinki and face charges of terrorism financing.
This is not Ekpa’s first encounter with Finnish authorities. In 2023, he was briefly detained over allegations of fundraising fraud. Ekpa has also been widely criticized for his calls to disrupt Nigerian elections, including his viral 2023 declaration: “No elections will be held! Nigerian elections will not be allowed in Biafran territory.”
The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation emphasized that international collaboration has been instrumental to the ongoing investigation. Hearings for Ekpa and the other suspects are scheduled to proceed this week.
