Pro-Biafran agitator Simon Ekpa, who was arrested in Finland for alleged terrorism-related activities, is set to face potential charges in May 2025, according to Finnish authorities.
Mikko Laaksonen, Senior Detective Superintendent at Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), confirmed to The PUNCH via email on Tuesday that the district court has set May 2025 as the deadline for prosecutors to present any charges against Ekpa.
The Finnish government announced last week that Ekpa, along with four others, had been arrested on suspicion of terrorism-related activities, including incitement to violence and financing terrorism.
Finnish police confirmed that Ekpa, who self-identifies as the Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government-in-Exile, allegedly used social media to incite violence in the South-East region, targeting both civilians and security forces.
According to Finnish publication Yle, Ekpa was remanded in custody by the Päijät-Häme District Court on charges of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent. The Finnish Central Criminal Police also confirmed the arrests, stating that the other suspects were accused of financing terrorist activities.
In an update on the case, Detective Laaksonen told The PUNCH that the investigation was ongoing and declined to provide further details at this stage. He added that the court had set the date for possible charges in May 2025, and the parties involved could request a re-evaluation after two weeks.
The case has drawn significant international attention, with Finnish authorities confirming the role of cross-border cooperation in the investigation, although they refrained from offering more details on the international collaboration involved.
Ekpa gained international notoriety for his calls to boycott Nigeria’s 2023 general elections, which led to violent enforcement actions and attacks on residents. He was arrested in February 2023 for inciting violence and issuing sit-at-home orders to the Igbo and other South-East residents.
His activities prompted global petitions from Nigerians, urging both the Finnish and Nigerian governments, as well as the European Union, to take action. In response, Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Finnish Ambassador to Nigeria, Leena Pylvanainen, to demand Finland’s cooperation in addressing the threats posed by Ekpa.
