The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) yesterday described the arrest of the self-proclaimed Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government In-Exile Simon Ekpa as a key victory in the anti-terror war.
It stated that his apprehension by Finnish authorities indicated that the international community was in synergy with Nigeria in its efforts to end terrorism.
Ekpa was arrested alongside four others on suspicion of terror-related activities, including incitement to violence and terrorism financing.
The development came barely 10 days to the December 2 date he declared as the day for unveiling the map of a proposed 40 “United States of Biafra” and the official declaration of Biafra’s independence.
His arrested also came a few days after deadly attacks in the Southeast by suspected members of the Eastern Security Network/IPOB, which he allegedly controls from his base in Lahti region of Finland.
The DHQ had in March declared Ekpa who is the factional leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and 96 others wanted for terrorism, violent extremism, and secessionist threats against the country.
A Finnish local publication Yle, reported that he was remanded in Police custody by the Päijät-Häme District Court on charges of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent.
The publication claimed that the Finnish Central Criminal Police confirmed the arrests in a statement, adding 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.
According to the report, Ekpa is accused of coordinating violent actions against civilians and authorities in Nigeria’s Southeast from Finland, using social media platforms.
Detective Chief Inspector Otto Hiltunen, who leads the investigation, said: “The man has carried out this activity, among other things, on his social media channels.”
Finnish police stated that international cooperation has been crucial to the ongoing investigation, with hearings for the suspects scheduled for the same day of his arrest.
Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj-Gen Edward Buba, and his counterpart in Defence Information, Brig.-Gen. Tukur Gusau said in separate statements that Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Christopher Musa, was elated by the development.
Maj-Gen Buba: said: “The CDS has always called for the arrest of Simon Ekpa following his deep involvement in fueling terrorism in the Southeast.
“We are delighted about his arrest and glad that the international community is partnering with Nigerians in our fight against terrorism.”
In his statement, Brig.-Gen. Gusau said Gen. Musa hopes that Ekpa’s arrest ‘’will be a step towards his extradition to Nigeria so that he will face justice.”
Although the Nnamdi Kanu-led IPOB had since distanced itself from him, Ekpa commands a large followership of many criminal elements in the Southeast.
Since Kanu’s detention in November 2015, the Nigerian–Finnish citizen is reported to be coordinating the Monday sit–at–home in the Southeast from Finland.
In 2023, Ekpa declared in a widely circulated social media video that “Nigerian elections will not be allowed in Biafran territory.”
Ekpa is a known figure in Finland where he is a member of the National Coalition Party (NCP) and Lahti’s public transport committee.
In 2023, he was briefly detained in Finland on allegations of fundraising fraud.