More troubles for Simon Ekpa as Finnish govt freezes his assets

Finnish authorities have frozen assets belonging to Simon Ekpa, a controversial pro-Biafra agitator over his alleged terrorist activities.

A Finnish newspaper reported that Keskusrikospoliisi (KRP), which is the Finnish name for the National Bureau of Investigation, has frozen Mr Ekpa’s assets and those of other suspects.

“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 said.

The Arrest

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that Mr Ekpa was arrested alongside four others on 21 November on suspicion of terrorist activities.

The Finnish police said Mr Ekpa “has contributed to violence and crimes against civilians in South-eastern Nigeria.”

The District Court of Päijät-Häme later ordered that the pro-Biafra agitator be imprisoned “with probable cause on suspicion of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent.”

He is expected to face charges in May 2025, according to Finnish authorities.

Mr Ekpa was indicted for financing terrorism alongside the four others suspects.

The police suspect that the Biafra agitator committed the crime of collecting money in violation of the Finnish Money Collection Act.

The Finnish police said he allegedly committed the crimes between 23 August 2021 and 18 November 2024 in Lahti, a town in Finland.

A Nigerian-Finnish citizen, Mr Ekpa heads Autopilot, a faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

IPOB is a group leading the agitation for an independent state of Biafra, which it wants carved out from the south-east and some parts of south-south Nigeria.

The separatist group has been linked to some deadly attacks in the two regions, although it has repeatedly denied its involvement in the attacks.

After Mr Ekpa’s arrest, the IPOB faction loyal to Mr Kanu disowned him, and said that the pro-Biafra agitator was never its member.

Ekpa speaks on terrorism allegations

Mr Ekpa’s assistant, Ilkka Kopra, said the pro-Biafra agitator has continued to deny any involvement in the alleged terrorism crime, according to the report.

According to the Finnish newspaper, Mr Kopra, a lawyer, said the police justified Mr Ekpa’s continued detention by saying that if released, the pro-Biafra agitator could hinder the investigation by influencing witnesses and continuing criminal activities.

The Finnish newspaper also reported that Mr Ekpa was currently being held at the Kylmäkoski Prison in the North European country.

READ ALSO: ANALYSIS: Can Simon Ekpa’s arrest end insecurity in South-east Nigeria?

Established in January 1993, Kylmäkoski Prison is reputed to be one of the world’s toughest prisons.

The prison is often used for the incarceration of people accused of committing serious crimes.