Pro-Biafran activist, Simon Ekpa, appeared in the Päijät-Häme District Court on Friday for a preliminary hearing concerning charges related to terrorism.
Naija News recalls that in November 2024, the Finnish government announced the arrest of Ekpa along with four other individuals on allegations of engaging in terror-related activities, which include incitement to violence and financing terrorism.
Finnish law enforcement has confirmed that Ekpa, who is referred to as the self-declared Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government-in-Exile, purportedly utilised social media platforms to incite violence in the South-East region, specifically targeting both civilians and governmental authorities.
As reported on Friday by Finnish news outlet Yle, the Päijät-Häme District Court ordered Ekpa to be held in custody on charges of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent.
The report indicates that prosecutors are pursuing a six-year prison term, citing significant evidence derived from Ekpa’s digital communications and activities.
“We have a great deal of evidence regarding this individual’s online activity and communications,” said state prosecutor Sampsa Hakala.
Nevertheless, the prosecution recognised the difficulties in obtaining trustworthy information, pointing out that a significant portion of the alleged criminal activities took place in Africa.
Naija News reports that the investigation has been conducted in collaboration between Finnish law enforcement and Nigerian officials.
Ekpa, represented by his attorney Kaarle Gummerus, has refuted the allegations. His counsel raised concerns regarding the reliability of the information sourced from Nigeria.
Alongside the terrorism-related charges, the court is examining claims of serious tax fraud and the possibility that Ekpa may have commissioned arms for pro-Biafra organisations.
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