The Acting Leader of the Independent People of Biafra, Simon Ekpa has been arrested alongside four other persons in Finland over terror-related activities.
According to a report from a Finnish tabloid, Mr. Simon Ekpa was arrested and later remanded in prison custody by the district court of Päijät-Häme on suspicion of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent.
On Thursday, the Central Criminal Police in Finland published a statement on its website where it confirmed the arrest of five persons on suspicion of terrorist crimes.
The police said the main suspect was arrested “on suspicion of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent”, while four others were arrested “for financing a terrorist crime”.
The police added: “Claims will be heard in Päijät-Häme district court today, November 21.”
The statement reads, “The detention demands are related to the preliminary investigation, in which a Finnish citizen of Nigerian background, born in the 1980s, is suspected of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent.
“The police suspect that the man has promoted his efforts from Finland by means that have led to violence against civilians and authorities as well as other crimes in the region of South-Eastern Nigeria.”
The statement quoted the head of the investigation, Crime Commissioner Otto Hiltunen from the Central Crime Police as saying that “the man has carried out this activity, among other things, on his social media channels”.
“Four other persons are suspected of financing the aforementioned activity. All five suspects of the crime have been arrested during the beginning of the week.
“International cooperation has been carried out during the preliminary investigation,” the statement added.
From the above statement, it is likely that the Finnish authorities acted based on pressure from the Nigerian government. It is possible that Nigeria may seek the extradition of Mr. Simon Ekpa back to Nigeria to face terrorism trial.
Simon Ekpa, the self-declared Prime Minister of Biafra Republic Government In-Exile took over from Mazi Nnamdi Kanu upon the re-arrest of the latter in Kenya.