…As Ekpa may be repatriated to Nigeria
Following the arrest of Finnish-Nigerian separatist leader, Simon Ekpa and four others in Finland, over alleged terror-related activities, bothering on incitement to violence and terrorism financing, mostly across the southeastern region of the country, Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, has reacted to the arrest of self-acclaimed Biafra Prime Minister.
Reacting to the photos of the suspected heretic and his group in Finland, Olusegun, via took to microblogging platform, to hint that Ekpa may be repatriated to Nigeria, as he wrote to see you soon, as he thanked the Finnish Prime Minister for the step taken.
Recall that that the Finnish Central Criminal Police confirmed the arrests in a statement on Thursday, noting that the other suspects were apprehended for allegedly financing terrorist activities.
“The detention demands are related to a preliminary investigation in which a Finnish citizen of Nigerian descent, born in the 1980s, is suspected of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent,” the police said.
Ekpa is accused of coordinating violent actions against civilians and authorities in Nigeria’s South-East region from Finland, using social media platforms to further his agenda.
Detective Chief Inspector Otto Hiltunen, who leads the investigation, revealed, “The man has carried out this activity, among other things, on his social media channels.”
The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation disclosed that Ekpa, alongside the other suspects, two of whom reside in Helsinki, faces charges of financing terrorism.
This is not the first time Ekpa has encountered Finnish authorities. In 2023, he was briefly detained on allegations of fundraising fraud.
Ekpa has also gained notoriety for his separatist rhetoric, particularly his calls to disrupt Nigerian elections.
Also, he had earlier declared in a widely circulated social media video, “No elections will be held! Nigerian elections will not be allowed in Biafran territory,” in 2023.
However, the Finnish police stated that international cooperation has been crucial to the ongoing investigation, with hearings for the suspects scheduled for Thursday.
Meanwhile, local publication Yle, reported that Ekpa was remanded in custody by the Päijät-Häme District Court on charges of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent, after the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation arrested four other men suspected of terrorist offences.