Finnish authorities have taken significant action against Simon Ekpa, a controversial pro-Biafra agitator, by freezing his assets amid allegations of involvement in terrorist activities. According to a report from a Finnish newspaper, the Keskusrikospoliisi (KRP), or the National Bureau of Investigation, has frozen not only Mr. Ekpa’s assets but also those belonging to several other suspects linked to similar charges.
“The KRP has frozen the assets of Simon Ekpa and other suspects in terrorist crimes, as well as associations and companies associated with them,” the report stated.
On November 21, Ekpa was arrested alongside four other individuals on suspicion of engaging in terrorist activities. Finnish police allege that Mr Ekpa has played a role in inciting violence and committing crimes against civilians in southeastern Nigeria.
Following his arrest, the District Court of Päijät-Häme ordered that Ekpa be detained, citing “probable cause on suspicion of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent.” He is expected to face formal charges in May 2025.
In addition to the charges of public incitement, Mr Ekpa has been indicted for financing terrorism alongside the four other suspects. Finnish authorities suspect that Ekpa violated the Finnish Money Collection Act by allegedly collecting funds for terrorist purposes between August 23, 2021, and November 18, 2024, in Lahti, a town in Finland.
A Nigerian-Finnish citizen, Ekpa leads Autopilot, a faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a group advocating for the independence of Biafra from southeastern and parts of southern Nigeria. The IPOB has been linked to numerous violent attacks in these regions, though it has consistently denied any involvement in such incidents.
In the wake of Ekpa’s arrest, the IPOB faction loyal to Nnamdi Kanu publicly disavowed him, asserting that he was never a member of their organisation. Ekpa’s assistant, Ilkka Kopra, who is also a lawyer, noted that the pro-Biafra agitator continues to deny any wrongdoing related to the alleged terrorism charges.
Reports indicate that the police have justified Ekpa’s continued detention by arguing that his release could jeopardise the investigation, potentially allowing him to influence witnesses or continue engaging in criminal activities. Currently, he is being held at Kylmäkoski Prison in Northern Finland, awaiting further legal proceedings.