Simon Ekpa Faces Extradition To Nigeria Over Alleged Terrorism, Separatist Activities

The Nigerian Defence Headquarters in Abuja has announced plans to extradite Simon Ekpa, the self-proclaimed prime minister of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to face charges in Nigeria.

In a statement, the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, revealed that the Chief of Defence Staff, General Chris Musa, welcomed the arrest of Ekpa in Finland.

Gusau stated, “The Chief of Defence Staff is pleased with his arrest in Finland, with the hope that this will pave the way for his extradition to Nigeria to face justice.”

Osun Defender had reported that Simon Ekpa was remanded by a Finnish district court in Lahti on charges of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent in Nigeria. The court stated that the alleged offences date back to August 23, 2021.

Ekpa has been accused of using social media platforms to propagate separatist ideologies linked to IPOB, a group advocating for the secession of southeastern Nigeria.

READ: Terrorism: Acclaimed IPOB Leader, Simon Ekpa Arrested In Finland

Finnish authorities also suspect Ekpa of being involved in financial crimes, including unlawfully collecting funds to support his activities.

Crime Commissioner Otto Hiltunen of Finland’s Central Criminal Police explained, “The police suspect that the man has promoted his efforts from Finland through means that have incited violence against civilians and authorities, as well as other crimes in southeastern Nigeria. These activities were carried out, among other things, on his social media channels.”

In a related development, four other suspects, believed to have financed terrorism in connection with IPOB, are under investigation. These individuals, who were born in the 1960s and 1970s and have foreign backgrounds, allegedly committed their crimes in August 2022 in Lahti, Finland.

According to Helsingin Sanomat (HS), five individuals, including Ekpa, were initially arrested during the first phase of investigations. Authorities lauded international cooperation in the probe.

Simon Ekpa’s previous run-ins with Finnish law enforcement include his arrest in February 2023 at a private residence in Lahti. Although he was released the same evening after questioning, Finnish police confirmed they had received numerous reports about his activities, prompting further investigations into potential links to other crimes.

In Finland, Ekpa is known as a local politician affiliated with the National Coalition Party. He has served as a deputy councillor and represented the party on the Lahti region’s public transport board.

Despite his political ties in Finland, Ekpa has used his social media presence to call for election boycotts and promote Biafra’s independence movement. His actions have sparked controversy both in Nigeria and internationally.

With his arrest and ongoing legal proceedings, Nigerian authorities remain optimistic that Simon Ekpa will soon be brought back to the country to face justice for his alleged crimes.