IPOB: Simon Ekpa Charged With Terrorism in Finland

• Factional IPOB leader Simon Ekpa has been charged with terrorism by the Finnish government, as his trial will soon commence
• The IPOB Autopilot leader was charged with public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent and with participating in a terrorist group
• It was learnt that the charges against the factional IPOB leader were filed on Friday, May 18, before the Paijat-Hama District Court in Lahti

Simon Ekpa, the controversial agitator for the Biafra nation, has been charged with terrorism offences by the Finnish government ahead of his trial.

Ekpa was charged with public incitement with the intention of committing a crime by the Deputy Prosecutor General in Finland. According to charges, the act has terrorist intent and participation in a terrorist group.

When Finnish government charged Ekpa with terrorism

The Premium Times reported that the charges against the self-acclaimed leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), were filed on Friday, May 16, and the case has been scheduled to be heard in the Paijat-Hama District Court in Lahti.

According to the prosecutor, the charges against Ekpa were linked to his secessionist activities in the southeast of Nigeria, which was often referred to as "Biafra land.".

Ekpa has been suspected of spreading separatist propaganda from his residence in Lahti. The Finnish police have been investigating the case in relation to the federal government of Nigeria. The date to commence the hearing was yet to be set.

The 40-year-old Ekpa was arrested with four others on November 21, 2024, on suspicion of engaging in activities related to terrorism.

Finnish police accused Simon Ekpa

The Finnish police in the suit alleged that the Biafra agitator had contributed to crimes and violence against civilians in the Southeast of Nigeria. The District Court of Paijat-Hame subsequently ordered his imprisonment “with probable cause on suspicion of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent.”

Ekpa is a Nigerian-Finnish citizen and head of Autopilot, a faction of IPOB. The group has been leading the agitation for Biafra state independence, which was carved out from the southeast and some parts of the south-south region of the country.

The IPOB group has been linked to several deadly attacks in the two regions but has consistently denied carrying out such attacks. Hours after Ekpa was arrested, he was denied by the faction loyal to Nnamdi Kanu in the IPOB.

Initially, the separatist leader was indicted in the finance of terrorism alongside four other suspects. The police suspected that he had committed the crime of collecting money in a way that violated the Finnish Money Collection Act.

FG speaks on extraditing Simon Ekpa

Legit.ng earlier reported that the Nigerian government said it is closely working with Finnish authorities to extradite Simon Ekpa for prosecution over offences related to terrorism.

Amid the resumption of Nnamdi Kanu's trial, the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, confirmed that Ekpa's case will not be abandoned.

In a significant twist, Lateef Fagbemi's aide, Kamarudeen Ogundele, on Friday, denied claims that the federal government has commenced extradition proceedings against Simon Ekpa.

Source: Legit.ng