The Federal Government announced on Friday that it was monitoring development in Finland where the leader of the proscribed separatist group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Simon Ekpa, is spending his second day in custody.
Ekpa was arrested with four others on Thursday by the Finnish authorities for inciting terrorism, terror financing, inciting violence, among others.
Now, the Federal Government has announced on Friday that it was keenly monitoring the legal proceedings of the Nigerian-Finnish citizen following his arrest.
Ekpa was taken into custody on Thursday, November 21, 2024, by Finnish authorities, and the Finnish District Court of Päijät-Häme has ruled to keep him in detention on probable cause, citing his alleged involvement in inciting violence through social media.
In a statement issued on Friday by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, the Federal Government declared that it will continue to track the progress of Ekpa’s legal case, emphasising the importance of the proceedings in addressing the influence of IPOB and transnational actors on Nigeria’s national security.
As IPOB’s activities spiralled in the South East, and Simon Ekpa’s campaign from Finland did not abate, the Federal Government exerted diplomatic pressure on the country urging it to take action against the IPOB leader.
Consequently, the ministry has pledged to provide further updates on the legal process and ensure that Ekpa’s actions, which have contributed substantially to the unrest in the South East, are properly addressed under Finnish law.
Here is the full text of the statement by the Ministry:
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to confirm the arrest of Mr Simon Njoku Ekpa, a Nigerian-Finnish citizen and prominent leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), by Finnish authorities on Thursday, November 21, 2024.
“He was charged with inciting terrorism and promoting violence. The Finnish District Court of Päijät-Häme ruled to detain him on probable cause for publicly inciting crimes with terrorist intent.
“The Ministry wishes to affirm that the arrest of Mr Simon Ekpa is a significant development in addressing the activities of IPOB, and also neutralising the influence of transnational actors and their impact on our national security.
“The Ministry will continue to monitor the legal proceedings and provide further updates as the case progresses.”
