Police arrest Simon Ekpa, four others over terrorism activities

 

Finnish authorities have arrested pro-Biafran agitator, Simon Ekpa, on charges of alleged terrorist activities. The Finish National Bureau of Investigation said it has requested that Ekpa be remanded on suspicion of public exhortation for an offence, committed with terrorist intent.

Ekpa is charged alongside four other persons on suspicion of financing a terrorist offence, according to a statement by the Finnish police on Thursday. Though the police statement did not mention Ekpa’s name, local Finnish news website Helsingin Sonamat listed his name in its report of the case. The police statement noted that “the requests for remand are related to a criminal investigation in which a dual citizen of Finland and Nigeria born in the 1980s is suspected of public exhortation to an offence, committed with terrorist intent.

“The police suspect that the man has furthered his efforts from Finland in such a way that has resulted in violence against civilians and public authorities and in other crimes in South-East Nigeria. “He has carried out this activity by campaigning, for example, on his social media channels, says Head of Investigation, Detective Chief Inspector Otto Hiltunen of the National Bureau of Investigation.” It added that the other four persons are suspected of financing Ekpa’s terrorism activity and confirmed that the five suspects have been apprehended early this week.

The Finnish police said it carried out international cooperation during the criminal investigation.