FG Breaks Silence on Simon Ekpa’s Arrest by Finnish Authorities

The Federal Government has confirmed the arrest of Simon Ekpa, a Nigerian-Finnish citizen and a prominent figure in the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), by Finnish authorities. This was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by Kimiebi Ebienfa, the Acting Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Abuja.

Ekpa, who is known for his separatist activities, was arrested on Thursday, November 21, on charges of inciting terrorism and promoting violence. The Finnish District Court of Päijät-Häme ordered his detention on grounds of probable cause, accusing him of publicly inciting crimes with terrorist intent.

According to Finnish authorities, Ekpa allegedly utilized social media platforms to disseminate separatist propaganda, incite violence, and encourage unlawful activities. These actions were said to have significantly disrupted the South-East region of Nigeria. Investigations reportedly linked him to incidents of violence in Nigeria, which authorities believe were fueled by his online activities.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted that the arrest followed sustained diplomatic pressure from the Nigerian government on Finland to address Ekpa’s actions, which had been linked to violence and instability in Nigeria’s South-East. The issue had been a point of discussion during high-level engagements between both nations.