Nigerian separatist figure Simon Ekpa has been formally charged by Finnish prosecutors with inciting terrorism through his online activities.
Authorities in Finland allege that Ekpa, who also holds Finnish citizenship, encouraged violent acts in Nigeria while living in Lahti, a city in southern Finland, between 2021 and 2024.
Ekpa, who refers to himself as the Prime Minister of the self-declared Biafra Republic Government in Exile, has been accused of using digital platforms to promote crimes with terrorist intent. The charges also include his alleged participation in the operations of a terrorist group. These actions are linked to his involvement with a faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which the Nigerian government labeled a terrorist organization in 2017.
The case has attracted major attention due to Ekpa’s controversial status. He is known for leading a vocal campaign calling for the creation of an independent Biafra nation in southeastern Nigeria, a region with a long and painful history, including the devastating Biafran civil war that lasted from 1967 to 1970 and caused over a million deaths.
Ekpa was arrested by Finnish police in November 2024 and has been in custody ever since. He denies all allegations. Finnish public broadcaster YLE identified him as the suspect referenced in the official statement from the Prosecution Authority, although the statement itself did not name him directly.
Beyond his activism, Ekpa has also been involved in Finnish politics. He previously served on a public transport committee in Lahti as a representative of the conservative National Coalition Party. However, his political career has been overshadowed by ongoing legal and public scrutiny over his pro-Biafra stance and his role in spreading unverified information.
Authorities in Finland had also looked into financial support for Ekpa’s activities. In connection with his arrest, four individuals were detained on suspicion of funding him, but the charges against them were dropped due to a lack of evidence.
Ekpa’s influence online has sparked concern not just for its political implications but for its potential to provoke real-world violence. Fact-checking investigations by AFP have found several misleading claims made by Ekpa that have circulated widely among his supporters and beyond, fueling tensions within the Nigerian diaspora.
In Nigeria, reactions to Ekpa remain deeply divided. Some view him as a voice for justice and self-determination, while others blame him for contributing to unrest in an already volatile region. The Nigerian government under President Bola Tinubu has announced plans to work with Finland to secure Ekpa’s extradition for prosecution back home.
The case marks a rare instance of a dual citizen facing terrorism-related charges in one country for actions that allegedly incited violence in another, underscoring the growing challenges nations face in managing cross-border digital activism and security threats.