Finland authorities arrest Simon Ekpa, four odas on suspicion of terrorist offences
Simon Ekpa leader of proscribed militant group Indegenous Pipo of Biafra (IPOB), don land prison for Finland on charges of alleged terrorist activities.
Local tori pipo for Finland report say, di District Court of Päijät-Häme send Ekpa, wey be Lahti-Nigerian municipal politician, go prison go chill on probable cause and on suspicion of publicly inciting pipo to commit crime wit terrorist intent.
Di court say Simon Ekpa dey allegedly spread separatist propaganda on social media.
Di suspected time of di crime wey dem charge am for na 23 August 2021 and di place na Lahti.
In addition to Ekpa, di Finnish National Bureau of Investigation also demand arrest of four oda men on suspicion of terrorist offences.
Ekpa wey be Finland citizen, wey dem born for 1985, bin don first tok say im dey lead one separatist group wey dey operate for Nigeria wit di aim of forming independent state of Biafran for southeast of di kontri.
Police say dem dey suspect say Ekpa bin promote im efforts from Finland wey lead to violence against civilians and authorities, as well as oda crimes for Southeast Nigeria.
“Di man dey carry out dis activities for im social media channels, for example,” Detective Chief Inspector Otto Hiltunen of di National Bureau of Investigation, tok.
Inside one video wey im do during di 2023 general elections, Simon Ekpa sidon in front of computer camera for im kitchen for Lahti declare say, election no go happun for di Biafra region, and evri body dia must to participate.
E also say im approve di use of violence.
“I condone violence against Nigerian goment forces. Na kwesion of self-defence. Dem dey constantly attack us and dem don commit numerous war crimes. We dey forced to defend oursef,” im tok.
Im speech bin get about 800,000 views on di instant messaging service, X (formerly Twitter).
According to di police, dis detention demand, dey related to one pre-trial investigation of di Nigerian born Finnish citizen wey dem suspect say im dey publicly incite pipo to commit crime wit terrorist intent.
Di kontri National Bureau of Investigation bin demand bifor for one press statement say make dem arrest one persin on suspicion of publicly inciting terrorist intent to commit a crime, and four pesins on suspicion of financing terrorist offence.
All di five suspects bin chop arrest for di beginning of dis week.
While Ekpa dey live for Lahti. Two of di oda five suspects get address for Helsinki, and one no get any at all for di population register, authorities say.
Dem add say dem do International cooperation during di criminal investigation.
Previous suspect of crime
Dis na di second time wey authorities for Finland go arrest Simon Ekpa. Dis one na new arrest and e neva clear how dis mata go be.
Finland authorities bin don first arrest Ekpa once before as suspect of one crime.
For 2023, di National Bureau of Investigation arrest am on suspicion of money collection offence.
Dat time, di police arrest am, but later release am dat same evening.
“I condone violence against Nigerian goment forces. Na kwesion of self-defence. Dem dey constantly attack us and dem don commit numerous war crimes. We dey forced to defend oursef,” im tok.
Im speech bin get about 800,000 views on di instant messaging service, X (formerly Twitter).
According to di police, dis detention demand, dey related to one pre-trial investigation of di Nigerian born Finnish citizen wey dem suspect say im dey publicly incite pipo to commit crime wit terrorist intent.
Di kontri National Bureau of Investigation bin demand bifor for one press statement say make dem arrest one persin on suspicion of publicly inciting terrorist intent to commit a crime, and four pesins on suspicion of financing terrorist offence.
All di five suspects bin chop arrest for di beginning of dis week.
While Ekpa dey live for Lahti. Two of di oda five suspects get address for Helsinki, and one no get any at all for di population register, authorities say.
Dem add say dem do International cooperation during di criminal investigation.
Previous suspect of crime
Dis na di second time wey authorities for Finland go arrest Simon Ekpa. Dis one na new arrest and e neva clear how dis mata go be.
Finland authorities bin don first arrest Ekpa once before as suspect of one crime.
For 2023, di National Bureau of Investigation arrest am on suspicion of money collection offence.
Dat time, di police arrest am, but later release am dat same evening.
Ekpa political party neva tok anytin
Di National Coalition Party, di political party wey Ekpa belong for finland, neva tok peem onto im membership.
Currently, im na representative appointee wey di National Coalition Party appoint on di Lahti Region Public Transport Committee, but recently im neva participate for di meeting of di board, according to report.
Timo Elo, party secretary of National Coalition Party no gree tok about Simon Ekpa possible membership for di party.
“We no go tell you who be our member and who no be. Na confidential information, Elo tok.
Wen local tori pipo for di kontri, Yle, ask am weda dem go expel member of dia party wey dem suspect of committing terrorist offence, Elo say, dem probably fit consider di mata.
Pirjo Mäljä, Executive Director of di Häme National Coalition Party, no comment on Ekpa, or about di fact say im dey hold position of trust.
Mäljä say im want make di police and di judiciary do dia job, afta dat, dem go assess di situation.
Court neva convinct Ekpa, so im still be suspected of a crime. Di pre-trial investigation and legal process for di case fit take years.
Who be Simon Ekpa?
Simon Ekpa na Nigerian-Finnish Biafran agitator wey be self-acclaimed disciple of detained leader of di Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.
Ekpa wey dey live for Finland dey champion di restoration of Biafra Republic and calling on Igbo pipo wey dey for southeast to boycott di general elections unless di Federal Goment release Kanu.
Ekpa for im Twitter page describe imsef as human rights activist, CEO, senior legal advisor at Ekpa & Co Oy, legal researcher, author, analyst, Finnish politician and Biafra tok-tok pesin.
E currently get ova 60,000 followers on Twitter and na one of di social media wey im dey use give pronouncements to im followers.
