Finnish prosecutors announced on Friday that they had charged Simon Ekpa, a Nigerian separatist leader, with inciting terrorism online.
The charges were filed by Finland’s National Prosecution Authority, which accused Ekpa, a dual Finnish-Nigerian national, of engaging in public incitement to commit crimes with terrorist intent and participating in the activities of a terrorist group.
According to the prosecution, the alleged crimes occurred between 2021 and 2024 in the Finnish city of Lahti. These activities were linked to Ekpa’s efforts to promote the independence of Nigeria’s southeastern Biafra region, a cause that has long been associated with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) movement, which is seeking the region’s secession from Nigeria.
The prosecution did not immediately name the accused, but Finnish public broadcaster YLE identified Ekpa as the individual facing the charges. Ekpa, who claims to be the leader of the Biafra Republic’s government-in-exile, was arrested in November. He remains in custody and has denied the charges levelled against him.
Ekpa is known for leading a faction of IPOB, the separatist group pushing for the creation of an independent Biafra. The region of Biafra, located in Nigeria’s southeast, was the center of a bloody civil war in the late 1960s after it declared independence. The war resulted in significant loss of life and the eventual reintegration of the region into Nigeria.
In addition to his role in the Biafra separatist movement, Ekpa has also held a position as a representative for Finland’s conservative National Coalition Party in Lahti. He served on the city’s public transport committee before his arrest.
During Ekpa’s arrest, Finnish authorities also sought to detain four other individuals on suspicion of financing his activities. However, on Friday, the prosecution announced that charges against these four individuals had been dropped due to a lack of evidence.
The case against Ekpa has drawn international attention, as it ties into broader issues surrounding separatist movements in Nigeria and the legal implications of actions taken outside of the country.
