May 16, (THEWILL) – The Finnish government has filed terrorism-related charges against a man identified in local media as Nigerian separatist leader, Simon Ekpa.
In a statement on Friday, Finland’s National Prosecution Authority said the suspect is accused of public incitement to commit crimes with terrorist intent and participating in the activities of a terrorist group.
The alleged offences were said to have occurred in the city of Lahti between 2021 and 2024, and are linked to efforts to establish the southeastern Nigerian region of Biafra as an independent state.
While the prosecution authority did not publicly name the accused, Finnish public broadcaster YLE identified him as Simon Ekpa.
Ekpa, a Finland-based Nigerian, claims to lead the self-styled Biafra Republic Government-in-Exile and heads the Autopilot faction of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The group’s armed wing, the Biafra Liberation Army (BLA), has been accused of carrying out violent attacks and enforcing illegal sit-at-home orders across Nigeria’s South-East.
Authorities in Finland arrested Ekpa in November 2024 alongside four others on suspicion of inciting violence, engaging in terrorism-related activities, and financing terrorism.
A district court in Lahti subsequently ordered his remand on probable cause of public incitement to commit a terrorist offence in Nigeria. Ekpa has remained in custody and denied the charges.
The Finnish Prosecution Authority confirmed on Friday that charges against the four other suspects arrested alongside Ekpa had been dropped due to insufficient evidence.
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