The District Court of Päijät-Häme in Finland has set May 2025 as the deadline for prosecutors to present charges against Simon Ekpa, the controversial pro-Biafra agitator arrested on suspicion of terrorist activities.

Ekpa, a Nigerian-Finnish citizen and leader of the Autopilot faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), was apprehended alongside four others on November 21, 2024.

According to Mikko Laaksonen, a Senior Detective Superintendent at Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation, the ongoing investigation prevents the disclosure of further details at this time. However, Laaksonen confirmed that the district court had established the May 2025 deadline for the prosecution to bring forward any charges against Ekpa.

The Finnish police have accused Ekpa of contributing to violence and crimes against civilians in South-eastern Nigeria between August 23, 2021, and November 18, 2024. Additionally, he is suspected of financing terrorism and violating the Finnish Money Collection Act during the same period in Lahti, Finland.

Laaksonen also noted that international cooperation has been a part of the investigation due to the nature of the case, although no further comments could be provided on this aspect.

The Nigerian government has welcomed Ekpa’s arrest, claiming that its sustained diplomatic pressure on Finnish authorities played a role in the apprehension. Nigeria had previously sought to extradite Ekpa to face prosecution for his alleged involvement in the growing insecurity in the South-east region of the country.

Ekpa, born on March 21, 1985, in Ebonyi State, Nigeria, has been using his social media platforms to push a secessionist agenda, issue sit-at-home orders that have led to violence, and solicit funds for suspected terrorist activities. The outcome of his trial in Finland is eagerly awaited by both the Nigerian government and the public, as it may have significant implications for the security situation in South-eastern Nigeria.

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