BREAKING: Simon Ekpa Charged with Terrorism-Linked Crimes in Finland

Finnish prosecutors has announced that a man has been charged with inciting terrorism online, with Finnish media identifying the suspect as Simon Ekpa, a prominent Nigerian separatist and self-proclaimed leader of the Biafra Republic Government in Exile.

In a statement issued on Friday, May 16, 2025, Finland’s National Prosecution Authority confirmed the charges.

“A Finnish individual in a case involving suspected public incitement to commit crimes with terrorist intent and participation in the activities of a terrorist group” has been charged.

The alleged offences were said to have occurred between 2021 and 2024 in the city of Lahti, where the suspect has lived. The charges stem from efforts to promote the secession of Nigeria’s Biafra region, a movement that traces back to the country’s civil war in the late 1960s.

Although the prosecution authority did not name the accused, Finnish public broadcaster YLE identified the suspect as Simon Ekpa.

Ekpa, a dual Finnish-Nigerian citizen, is a controversial figure who has claimed leadership over a faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a group seeking independence for Nigeria’s southeast. The Nigerian government has labelled IPOB a terrorist organization.

According to prosecutors, Ekpa was detained in November and remains in custody. He has denied all charges brought against him.

The prosecution statement also noted that the case includes suspicions of public incitement to commit crimes with terrorist intent, and participation in the activities of a terrorist group.

Ekpa has previously served as a local representative of Finland’s National Coalition Party in Lahti, where he sat on a public transport committee.

Following his arrest, Finnish authorities had also requested the remand of four other individuals suspected of financing Ekpa’s activities. However, on Friday, the prosecution authority announced:

“The prosecutor had decided to drop charges against four others in the case due to a lack of evidence.”

Ekpa has been repeatedly flagged in AFP fact-checks in recent years over false claims and disinformation spread through his pro-Biafra independence campaigns.

The case has drawn significant attention in both Finland and Nigeria, highlighting ongoing concerns about the cross-border spread of extremist rhetoric and online radicalization.

VANGUARD