A Finnish district court has ordered the remand of Simon Ekpa, the self-proclaimed leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), over charges of spreading terrorist propaganda on social media.

Ekpa, who also claims to be the Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government In-Exile, was arrested by the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) alongside four other individuals for alleged terrorist offenses.

According to the Finnish authorities, Ekpa committed the crimes in 2021 in Lahti municipality. The Central Criminal Police in Finland confirmed the arrest in a statement, stating that Ekpa was suspected of “public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent.”

The four other suspects are accused of financing Ekpa’s activities. The arrests were made possible through international cooperation during the preliminary investigation.

Ekpa’s arrest comes amid growing concerns over his role in promoting secessionist threats and terrorism in Nigeria’s South East region. His “Sit-At-Home” orders have significantly disrupted economic activities, prompting calls for his arrest.

The case will be heard in the Päijät-Häme district court today, November 21. Ekpa’s remand marks a significant development in efforts to curb his influence and address cross-border crimes.

In a related development, the Nigerian authorities had previously declared Ekpa wanted over terrorism and secessionist threats.

Ekpa’s arrest follows increased international cooperation to combat terrorism and cross-border crimes.

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