Finnish authorities have officially charged a man identified by media as Simon Ekpa, a Nigerian separatist, with terrorism-related offenses, DAILY GAZETTE reports.
According to a statement released on Friday by Finland’s National Prosecution Authority, the suspect is accused of “public incitement to commit crimes with terrorist intent and participation in the activities of a terrorist group.”
Although the prosecution authority did not name the individual, Finnish national broadcaster YLE reported that the person charged is Simon Ekpa, a prominent figure in the movement advocating for the independence of Nigeria’s Biafra region.
The statement noted that the offenses allegedly occurred between 2021 and 2024 in the city of Lahti and were connected to “the suspect’s efforts to establish Nigeria’s Biafra region as an independent state.”
Ekpa, who identifies himself as the leader of the Biafra Republic Government in Exile, was arrested in November 2024.
“The accused remains in custody and denies the charges,” the prosecution authority stated.
Ekpa is widely recognized as a vocal factional leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a separatist group agitating for the secession of southeastern Nigeria, a region that experienced a devastating civil war in the late 1960s.
His activities have drawn both domestic and international attention, including criticism and fact-checks over misinformation spread in the course of his campaign.
A dual citizen of Nigeria and Finland, Ekpa has previously been involved in Finnish politics as a member of the National Coalition Party and served on Lahti’s public transport committee.
At the time of his arrest, Finnish officials also detained four individuals suspected of financing his operations.
However, the prosecution authority confirmed on Friday that “the prosecutor had decided to drop charges against four others in the case due to a lack of evidence.”
Ekpa’s legal troubles have elicited mixed reactions in Nigeria.
Some see his arrest and prosecution as a necessary step toward stability in the region, while his supporters continue to demand his release.
