The Federal Government has announced plans to closely monitor the trial of Simon Njoku Ekpa, a Nigerian-Finnish citizen and a prominent figure in the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who was detained in Finland on charges of inciting terrorism and promoting violence.
In a statement released on Friday by the Acting Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, it was confirmed that Ekpa was arrested on Thursday, November 21, 2024, by Finnish authorities. The Finnish District Court of Päijät-Häme ordered his detention on probable cause for “publicly inciting crimes with terrorist intent.”
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to confirm the arrest of Mr. Simon Njoku Ekpa, a Nigerian-Finnish citizen and prominent leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), by Finnish authorities on Thursday, 21 November 2024. He was charged with inciting terrorism and promoting violence,” the statement read.
The Finnish authorities allege that Ekpa used social media platforms to spread separatist propaganda, incite violence, and encourage illegal actions. These actions reportedly caused significant disruptions in Nigeria’s South-East region. Finnish investigators also linked his activities to violent incidents in the region believed to have been fueled by his online posts.
The statement further noted that Ekpa’s arrest followed sustained diplomatic efforts by Nigeria to push Finland into addressing his activities. “The arrest of Mr. Simon Njoku Ekpa follows sustained diplomatic pressure by the Nigerian government on Finland, to take action against his activities, which were linked to violence and instability in the South-East of Nigeria. The request for action was featured during high-level engagements between the two countries,” it added.
The ministry described the arrest as a critical step toward neutralizing the influence of transnational actors contributing to instability in the South-East. “The arrest of Mr. Simon Ekpa is a significant development in addressing the activities of IPOB and neutralizing the influence of transnational actors and their impact on our national security,” the statement concluded.
The Federal Government emphasized its commitment to providing updates on the case as it progresses, underscoring its importance to achieving peace in the South-East region.
